Danganronpa: Another Despair
by PotatoSorcerer
Summary: (Part 3 to Another Hope series) Just when he assumed everything would work out, Albert Wright is called by his friends to the site of the Neo World Program. When confronted with a face he has never seen before, forced to think on his feet to save both parties, will he be able to save the people he cares about, or will his very existence threaten to unleash Despair upon the world?
1. Prologue

**Well, here we are. I said you would hear from me around the start of September, and here I am, on the dot. I swear I didn't even plan this, I just happened to finish up the other day. I guess everything played out perfectly. So, before we get to the Killing School Trip, I need to get a few things out of the way.**

**Firstly, this is a sequel (or, I guess, a threequel?) to Danganronpa: Another Hope, my first Danganronpa fanfic. If you start with this one, you will likely end up confused not only as to who the hell Albert Wright is, but certain events he makes mention to, even with his brief recap at the start of this chapter. Also, you will be confused as to who lives and dies in those previous stories. Speaking of, while Another Episode: Another Hope might seem like a side-story or spinoff, it does contain some very important plot points for this story, so do not skip it. If you have not read either of my previous stories, then read ahead at your own risk, and all that.**

**Secondly, if you have not played Super Danganronpa 2, you NEED to. That's not a recommendation, it's a warning. Like, only a few paragraphs in I spoil the biggest twist of that game. It would be impossible to write this story without doing so. If you have not, then like I said before, read ahead at your own risk.**

**Thirdly, I am going to be doing something with this story that I have not done before, and there are going to be alternating POVs. Albert is still the main character, but most of the Killing Game events are going to be told in a third-person perspective. If you don't get it, well... You will see. The only reason I'm including this is because I think it would be rather awkward to spring that on you in the third story, after every previous one was told from Albert's solely.**

**Fourthly, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, in any way, feel free to let me know. This is only my third story, after all, so I would like all the help I could get.**

**Finally, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Prologue**

**Destination Despair**

I stood at the prow of the ship, my lab coat billowing in the salty wind. With a yawn, I pushed my glasses further up my face. It was a nice day out, for whatever that's worth. The sun was shining, the pollution wasn't too thick. The smell of the sea reminded me of my home town, a port city on the east coast of Canada. It had been years since I've been there, even before the... odd circumstances that lead to my current life. I tried to enjoy these blissful moments. They were few and far between.

My name is Albert Wright. I was _considered _by Hope's Peak for the position of Ultimate Psychologist, I studied under the Ultimate Physicist, and I am currently an agent of Future Foundation, 14th Division. My story... well, it's an complicated one.

Originally, I was just your average guy. I went to school, came home, played video games or read a novel, went to bed, woke up, and repeat, ad nauseum. Then, one day, my life changed. The Ultimate Physicist, Toshihide Tomonaga, received a message from his future self warning him of the Tragedy to come if he didn't act. He created a dimensional transporter to pull in someone who could act as a rogue element in the events ahead, hopefully to stop the events that would lead to this Tragedy. This rogue agent, luckily enough, happened to come from a world where all of the events from this Tragedy were recorded in a game, known as Danganronpa. That rogue agent... was me.

However, the Toshihide of the future had other things in store, and used his powers to manipulate me into following a script so that nobody found out who the instigator of these events were. He did this so that, when the events happened, and I ended up stopping the Tragedy as it was reaching its peak, he could take credit for it, so he could feel some pride after all the failures he suffered. The problem was... I wasn't the godsend hero he expected me to be. I couldn't stop the Tragedy, not on my own.

When I last said goodbye to Toshihide, I swore I would do everything I could to protect my friends. In turn, they promised to help me. Together, the seven of us joined the Future Foundation, an organization built on one principle: preserve the hope of humanity. Due to my knowledge of the Tragedy, I was considered a rather influential figure in the Future Foundation, even though I wasn't an Ultimate, though my influence only goes so far. I was briefly considered to be allowed to be a branch head, but that fell on its face due to the fact that I was never officially recognized as talented by anyone from Hope's Peak. It didn't help that Kizakura, a former talent scout, sat on the fence on that topic...

Either way, my friends and I made strides in our progress to aid humanity. My most recent project wasn't even something official. Basically, Towa City had become a war zone, but intel told us there were a bunch of captives being held there. A team was sent to retrieve them, but that quickly went down the shitter. So, without telling anyone, I stole a Future Foundation van and drove all the way to Towa by myself, and with the help of some of the people in the city, including the little sister of a good friend of mine, I managed to get every captive evacuated, with minimal injury. After that, well... due to circumstances, I decided to stay in the city alongside the aforementioned little sister, doing what we could to get other innocent civilians out of the city. I must've been living there for... over a month. Maybe almost two.

However, recently, I received an emergency call from my buddies. Well, first, I received a regular call from them. Apparently, they caught all the ringleaders of the terrorists known as the Remnants of Despair. Good, I answered. The plan was to use this program that was developed by my best friend, another friend and coworker, and the research of some dead dude I never met to rehabilitate these terrorists, and treat their mental illnesses and brainwashing. Basically, we would turn them back into the semi-normal, quasi-functional members of society that they originally were. Cool, I said. I thought that'd be the end of it. However, about a day later, I received the aforementioned emergency call. Something went wrong with the program, they said. Something I never told them about, apparently. They weren't able to explain it on the phone because, well frankly, sometimes my friends can be rather brain-dead.

So basically, my good pal Aoi Asahina, as well as some of the healthier captives I helped escape, volunteered to go to Towa under the guise of delivering food and resources, and met up with the little sister I teamed up with before, while I escaped the city and caught a ride on a ship that my other good pal, Kyoko Kirigiri, pulled some strings into chartering me a ride to Jabberwock Island, the site of this little project my friends had. So, every base was covered. All I had to do now was get to that goddamn island and find out what it was that had my friends so spooked.

I didn't want to think about that, though. I mean, I already told them everything that's going to happen with the project. If something happened that I never told them about, it was probably something unexpected. No. I dismissed the idea. I was the only rogue element there was. It's more likely that they just forgot some key thing that I told them, and this was all a huge false alarm. Yeah... a false alarm.

I sighed. If only I could convince myself so easily. I turned around and stared at the window leading into the wheelhouse. Or the bridge. Whatever, I wasn't too knowledgeable on ship anatomy. I almost laughed when I saw my reflection in the window, though. Was that truly the same cowardly boy who was pulled through dimensions just a couple years ago? Or the same man that escaped the Hope's Peak killing game by the skin of his teeth? Would my friends even recognize me when I step off the ship?

I hadn't shaved in forever, so I had a nice thick scruff growing in. While I was able to shower in Towa, I never really took the time to comb my hair, and since I hadn't had a haircut in a while, I had a messy do. Speaking of, the stress also caused me to sprout quite a few grey hairs. And given the squalid conditions living in that city came with, I hadn't had true rest in a while, so thick bags under my eyes made me look a little older than my real 20 years of age. Hell, I'm not even old enough to purchase alcohol in the U.S., and yet I looked like I was the same age as many of the Future Foundation branch heads. Then again, all of the Remnants of Despair we captured were the same age as me, and with their lifestyle, I doubted they faired much better than me. Still, a shave, haircut, and good night's rest would do me wonders right about now.

As I stared into the window, I noticed the captain of the ship exit through a door off to the side. He approached me. "Hey Doc, we'll be reaching land soon. I'll have some of my boys head down to your cabin and grab your bags before we hit land, since you got that bum shoulder." Well, I wouldn't exactly call it "bum," but yes, my shoulder had suffered a little after an injury I received in Towa. It was healing pretty nicely, though, all things considered.

I turned back to face the waves, and noticed an island growing on the horizon. Jabberwock Island. I turned back to the man. "Thanks, Captain. But, uh, I'm not a doctor. Actually, I never even graduated high school."

He nodded. "Well, given the way you act, it's hard to tell sometimes. Mr. Wright, then?"

"I'm a good actor. And let's cut the formalities, you can just call me Albert."

"Albert it is then. You know, I've wanted to ask you this the whole voyage, but I guess I never got the chance..."

"What's up?"

"In those broadcasts, of the killing game... You said you were from another dimension, right? Is that true?"

I sighed. Every time I met someone who remembered my name, that question always came up. "Afraid so, Captain. I find it funny when people are so disbelieving, though. I mean, it was the Ultimate Physicist's fault. People question his abilities, but not the fact that a teenage girl caused the apocalypse?"

"Hey, I never said I didn't believe you. Trust me, I know the crazy things Ultimates can do. My uncle was the former Ultimate Navigator. That man had a sense of direction, I tell ya, it was like magic. No matter what you did with him, blindfold him, earmuffs, tie him up, and no matter where you took him, he knew exactly where he was relative to where he started."

I shook my head, smirking. "I believe that. Small world, though, huh? What are the chances I'd meet the nephew of an Ultimate here of all places?"

"I like to think it's fate. Everything's all tied together, in a way." He said, staring out to the horizon.

I laughed. "I guess it's true you sailors are a superstitious folk. Sorry, but I don't believe in fate, Captain. There are an infinite number of possible futures and alternate realities. The only things that decide which path we go down are our choices... and our luck."

He nodded to make it clear he was listening, but didn't seem to be in agreement. "Y'know, you and I should share a drink sometime. Besides all your crazy science talk, you seem to be a pretty interesting guy."

"I don't drink." I told him. "Though, if you're fine getting wasted while I have a root beer float, you'll hear no objections from me."

It was his turn to laugh. "Alright, Doc. Whatever you want. Now, I gotta go see how my crew's doing. Gotta make sure they don't crash us straight onto the shore of Jabberwock." He turned and walked back to the wheelhouse.

"Yeah. That's not how I wanna be reunited with my friends." I laughed, turning to the island on the horizon once again.

Hopefully, we could just relax and all make it out of this unscathed...

* * *

Nagito Komaeda looked around at all of the Ultimates he was surrounded with. They had not introduced themselves as such yet, but he knew. He could feel the unique aura emanating from each of them, filling the room with an intense atmosphere. Of course, there was also the fact that he, through his incredible luck, managed to get into Hope's Peak Academy, and now he was in a classroom with a group of people the same age as him. It was an easy bet that they were to be his classmates. He suppressed a smile at the idea that some people might consider him equal to these amazing figures. There was no way that was even close to true, he thought.

He was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room from the door. This gave him a clear view for whenever a new face entered the room, so he was able to quickly identify who was who based on what he heard about them online. And it seemed as though he was going to play another round of Guess Who. However, he had a harder time identifying this one in comparison to the others.

She had the unique appearance of an Ultimate. Her outfit consisted of a white button-up with a violet neck tie over her ample chest. Black dress pants clung to her wide hips and ran down to her feet, which were covered with matching dress shoes. Over her somewhat formal outfit, she wore a lab coat, long enough to reach just behind her knees. Her long raven hair was tied into twintails, dyed an electric purple at the tips. On her head was a cat-ear hairband, the fur matching the shade of black her hair was. Most odd of all, however, was her heterochromatic eyes, pink on the left, and blue on the right. They gleamed with intelligence, scanning the room and all the people in it before making a move.

However, despite her easily distinguishable look, Nagito was confident he had never seen her face before. Apparently, the same was true for the rest of the class, as when everyone turned to see the new entry, no one expressed any recognition. Of course, that was the case every previous instance as well. He guessed her talent was tied closely with her intelligence, and an ability to read people. A gambler, perhaps?

Either way, despite her odd surroundings, the mystery girl put on a big smile. Before anyone had a chance to react, she spoke. "Oh, hi! Are you guys all the other freshmen?" A few voices of affirmation came from the group. "So, uh, what's going on? I sort of... blacked out, on my way here, if you can believe it." She stepped inside, and the door slid shut behind her, causing her to flinch slightly.

"We were actually about to discuss that matter..." The rotund, bespectacled noble who must have been Byakuya Togami answered.

"Ah, okay, that makes sense." She responded. She seemed to consider if she should stay near the door. She eyed the number of empty desks, and the people standing around the room, but ultimately moved to stand behind the teacher's desk. A sign of confidence, Nagito noted. Maybe she was a strategist?

"Well... since you are the last student to arrive, let's start the discussion." Byakuya decided.

"Eh, this is everyone? How do you know?" The heavily-pierced and energetic Ibuki Mioda asked.

"There are only sixteen desks in this classroom, and this girl is the sixteenth student..." He answered smugly. "It's obvious if you bother to think about it...!"

However, at that moment, the door slid open once again, and a boy with a rather average appearance stepped in. "...Huh?" He stood and stared awkwardly at everyone in the room. Nagito smiled, knowing he probably had a much similar reaction himself.

"Who goes there?" The albino girl with a kendo sword that was Peko Pekoyama asked after a few seconds.

"...Eh?"

"Um... are you feeling all right? You look quite pale..." The regal and elegant beauty Sonia Nevermind asked.

"Ah, um..."

"Hey, could you be... You're also a freshman at this school, right?" The calm and confident Mahiru Koizumi wondered.

"Ah, then... you're all...?" Realization dawned in the boy's eyes.

"See for yourself. We're all freshmen, too." The carefree and flashy Kazuichi Soda told him.

"I assume... freshman like us have been gathered in this classroom..." The quiet gamer girl Chiaki Nanami guessed.

"It seems my earlier assumption was wrong..." Byakuya admitted under his breath. "...Hey, why don't you just come inside for now?"

"Eh? Ah, yes of course!" The boy quickly closed the door and made his way to a seat at the back of the room. After an awkward moment, he spoke up again. "Um... excuse me?"

"...What is it?" Byakuya asked.

"Why are we all gathered in this classroom? No one said anything about coming here, so... is there like, an entrance ceremony or homeroom happening now?"

"That's what I was wondering." The mysterious girl from before answered. "But then you, well, interrupted our discussion."

"Discussion?"

"Well, since we have no way to guess how many more are on the way, we might as well start now." Byakuya decided. "If anyone else shows up, we can bring them up to speed."

"And just what are we gonna talk about?" The short, pudgy Teruteru Hanamura asked. "The reason we're all gathered here in this classroom?"

"First, I need to confirm something." Byakuya insisted. "Out of everyone here... Is there anyone who actually remembers how they came to this classroom?"

"...Eh!?" The unknown boy nearly jumped out of his seat. Everyone exchanged glances, and surprised looks were shared all around as not one person raised their hand.

"So before you realized it, you were in this classroom... Then everyone here is in the same predicament... No matter how you look at it, it's unnatural. Even you stupid-looking ones would agree, right?"

"I-It sure is strange..." Mahiru agreed. "Nobody actually remembers how they came here... Hey! What do you mean, "stupid-looking"!?"

Byakuya ignored her. "The moment you set foot on campus, you felt a strange dizziness, and now you're here and you don't know why... That is what I experienced before I arrived here. Am I correct in assuming that's true of all of you?"

"Th-That happened to me too, but..." The unknown boy tried to argue.

"Eh!? That dizziness wasn't just me?" Teruteru asked. "Everyone felt the same dizziness... that's weird!"

"E-Even if it's just a coincidence... it feels too good to be true..." The timid and awkward Mikan Tsumiki said.

"So you're saying it's not just a coincidence, then." Byakuya said.

"...Hm?" Sonia tilted her head in confusion.

"Meaning... we can only speculate who's responsible for this strange phenomenon."

"Hah! I don't know what you're so worried about, but that doesn't sound like a huge deal..." The muscular and loud Nekomaru Nidai said.

"...What do you mean?" Kazuichi asked.

"I mean it's a minor problem. Instead of trying to figure out why we're here, we should try to figure out why we can't leave..."

"Huh? Whaddya mean we can't leave?" The athletic and spunky Akane Owari asked.

"Eh!? S-Seriously!?" Teruteru asked, panicked.

The mysterious girl made her way out from behind the teacher's desk and toward the door. She gripped the handle with both hands and pulled. The door simply clattered. She sighed. "Damn. We're actually stuck."

"...Huh, why!?" Mahiru asked.

"A little while after I got here, I tried to leave to go take a shit..." Nekomaru explained. "But that door wouldn't budge at all!"

"Hey, hey... what's going on?" Kazuichi asked.

"Even with all my might I couldn't open it!" Nekomaru continued. "It'd be absolutely impossible for all of you..."

"Eh? What do you mean you couldn't open it?" The youthful and childlike Hiyoko Saionji asked. "Why? That's not possible!"

"S-She's right! It's impossible!" The unknown boy said. "Because... when I went through the door, it opened normally... It wasn't locked at all...!"

"Ditto for me..." The mysterious girl added.

"Though I don't understand what forces are at work here... There's no denying that we have been locked inside this classroom." Peko decided.

"Wh-What do you... mean...?" The unknown boy asked.

"M-Maybe we're... getting mixed up... in something dangerous?" Kazuichi guessed.

It was at this point that Nagito finally decided to throw in his opinion. "Or perhaps... Doesn't it make more sense to think that this is the entrance exam?"

"The entrance exam?" The unknown boy repeated. "You mean, Hope's Peak Academy's?"

"But... according to Hope's Peak Academy, no such entrance exam exists." Sonia recalled.

"They may say that publicly, but it's possible that this is actually a special entrance exam." Nagito insisted.

"Ah, you're wrong. This is not an entrance exam." A soft voice responded.

"What was that just now?" Byakuya asked.

The short and short-tempered Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu stepped forward. "Hey, fatass... Why'd you make that cutesy voice all of a sudden?" Nagito also noticed the mysterious girl scrutinizing the yakuza. Perhaps her talent had something to do with law enforcement?

"I won't dispute your blunt remark about my weight. But that voice you just heard was not mine..."

"...Huh? Then whose is it?" Akane asked.

"Um, it's actually mine!"

"Who's there!? Where are you!?" Nekomaru asked.

"It sounds like it came from behind the teacher's desk." Chiaki noticed.

"There wasn't anything back there when I checked." The mysterious girl told them.

"All right! I see everyone has arrived! Let's begin!" The voice decided. While everyone may have arrived, Nagito noted that the dark and grandiose Gundham Tanaka had not spoken in a while, which meant this new voice must have been watching them rather than just listening in.

Everyone turned their attention to the front of the room. In a swirl of light, a stuffed white rabbit jumped out from behind the desk, wearing a pink dress and carrying a magic stick.

"What... is that...?" Sonia asked, shocked.

"Um... It looks like a stuffed animal." Mahiru said.

"That's right, I am a squeezably soft stuffed animal. Magical Miracle Girl Usami... A.K.A. Usami! I may not look like it, but I am your squeezably soft teacher. Nice to meet you all!"

"H-Huh? Am I hallucinating?" Teruteru asked. "Am I the only one who's seeing this?"

"Nah, I see it too..." Kazuichi assured him.

"What's with this talkin' Chihuahua!?" Akane burst.

"Eh!? That's a Chihuahua!?" Ibuki asked.

"...Does everyone here know what a rabbit it?" Usami asked patiently. "It's a lovable animal that's very fluffy and soft. That's what I am! A singing, dancing, talking rabbit mascot!"

"H-Hold on! Let me process this first!" Teruteru demanded.

"Okie-dokie!"

Teruteru turned from the rabbit and to the rest of the class. "Um... what do you guys think? I-I've never seen a stuffed animal that can sing, dance, and talk before..."

"I-It's probably remote controlled or something..." Fuyuhiko guessed. "Don't act like such a pussy over a child's toy."

"E-Even if it's remote controlled, doesn't it look too lifelike? That's pretty advanced for a toy..." Kazuichi noted. Nagito smiled. A fitting observation for the Ultimate Mechanic.

"Its movements and mannerisms are not the issue." Byakuya said. "More importantly, based on what it just said... It seems you know something about our current situation...!"

"Of course I do! I'm the lead teacher of this school trip!"

"School trip...? Hey... what do you mean, school trip?"

"A large group of students go on a chaperoned trip with a lead teacher! It's the biggest event of the school year!"

"W-We're not looking for such a literal answer..." The unknown boy responded.

"Now let's depart for the fun school trip!" Usami announced. She began to wave her stick in the air, and the whole classroom started shaking. The roof and walls split from each other and unfolded, revealing that the classroom was in the middle of a tropical beach. Everyone stood stunned by the sudden scenery.

"...Huh?" The unknown boy looked around, dazed. "What... the hell is this!?"

"Um... Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-What!?" Teruteru shouted.

"This is a joke... right?" Kazuichi asked.

"Wh-Where are we!?" Ibuki begged.

"Huh? Wh-What's going on!?" Mahiru asked.

"Everyone! Please stay calm!" Usami told them. "There is no reason to panic! Seeeeee? Look around! Feast your eyes on this beautiful ocean... It's like your heart is being washed clean, isn't it...? It washes away everything... even all the bad things..."

"Hold on, give us all the details...!" Peko demanded. "Where in the world are we?"

""Where," you ask...? Well, obviously we're... "Out where it's better! Out where it's wetter!"... Out by the sea!"

"I-I understand that this is the sea, but... What are we doing here!?" Mikan asked.

"You know... You're throat's gonna get hoarse if you keep screaming like that."

"But... We were just at school and now we are by the sea... This is impossible..." Sonia said.

"Please do not worry. The school trip has just started! That's all!"

"But, like, why are we on a school trip all of a sudden!?" Ibuki asked. "You totally skipped alllll the stuff that comes before!"

"Sh-She's right...!" The unknown boy agreed. "We're all supposed to be attending Hope's Peak Academy."

"Ah, Hope's Peak Academy... I seeeee, I seeeee... You don't say... You guys are feeling unsure about Hope's Peak Academy. Then, in that case... Please forget about Hope's Peak Academy! That's why we're having a school trip in the first place!"

"...Huh?"

"The hell do you mean we should forget about it!?" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"Hey... what are you?" Byakuya asked. "Just what are you scheming?"

"Wha-Wha-Whaaat!? I'm not scheming anything! I'm doing this for everyone's sake! I'm praying from the bottom of my heart that hope will grow within everyone's heart! There's nothing dangerous on this island whatsoever! So please, there is no need to worry at all!"

Nagito stepped forward. "Island...? Did you just say "island"?"

"Yup, and it certainly is beautiful. It was prepared just for us, an island free from other people and danger."

"Are you saying... this island is uninhabited?" The unknown boy asked.

A bad thought struck Nagito's mind, one he had to express. "Perhaps... you brought us to this uninhabited island to make us kill each other...!?"

"Ha-wa-wa!? K-Kill each other!? Nuh-uh! No way! Bloody business, like causing violence or inflicting pain, is a big no-no on this island! Even the word "kill"... Just saying it horrifies me! Kyaah! So scary!"

"Then... what is this "school trip" you mentioned?" Byakuya asked. "What do you intend for us to do on this island?"

"All righty! I shall announce it to everyone right now! While you all relax on this island paradise, you must get along and strengthen your bonds with one another! That is the main rule on this heart-throbbing school trip!"

"Heart-throbbing school trip...?" Byakuya repeated. He looked like his heart had stopped throbbing.

"Spend these peaceful and relaxing days nourishing hope and lazing about, free from pain, free from suffering... Truly, this lovey-dovey heart-throbbing school trip is... everyone's homework!"

"Wha-! What the hell does that even mean...!?" The unkown boy snapped.

"Now then... Let the heart-throbbing school trip begin!"

* * *

I stepped off the boat and onto the dock, my legs still a little shaky, with my minimal luggage in my hands. I was greeted with four of my friends, Makoto, Byakuya, Kyoko, and Chiaki. They all looked the same as the last time I saw them. Well, Chiaki got a fresh change of clothes, but that was really it, and it was her usual style anyway. The others looked sharp in their Future Foundation suits, though.

"Hey, guys. Long time, no see." I stepped forward and pulled them into a group hug.

"Nice to see you too, Al." Makoto said as I squeezed the life out of him.

"Hmph. At least you smell better than the last time I saw you." Byakuya said.

I stepped back to let them breath. "So, what's the sitch?"

"Well, obviously, if it were easy to explain, we would have done so by now." Kyoko explained. "You understand the basics, though, right?"

"Something's affecting the program, but it doesn't seem related to the Junko virus." I recalled from their brief description. "That about right?"

"You should see it for yourself." Chiaki decided.

"Well, that is what I came here for." I said. "Lead the way."

They lead me to the central island. In order to reach it, we had to take a bridge. To avoid messing up the ecosystem or something, the Future Foundation only set up temporary floating bridges. It seemed stable enough, but I didn't really trust it, so I picked up my pace when crossing. On the central island, we made our way to the administration building, which acted as the head office for Future Foundation on this archipelago. It was also where the project was being held.

After spending a few minutes walking through hallways and up stairs, I found myself in the Observation Office, which is the name we gave to the room right next to the Pod Room that allows us to view what's going on inside the virtual world. Inside, I found even more of my friends.

"Chihiro!"

"Al!" My friend got up from his seat at the computer to greet me. We hugged for a moment. It had been too long since I last saw him. When we pulled away, he looked me over. "Are you okay? You look awful..."

I laughed. "I've seen better days. But I gotta say, getting to see you has really got me better." I took a moment to look him over, too. It was a small difference, but he was a little taller than last I saw him, a little bigger. He had continued working out, even in my absence. And, of course, he looked adorable in a suit. I looked around the room. "Hey, Taichi."

"Hello, Al." The older man smiled tiredly. After being rescued from Towa, he decided to stay with his son and help with the Neo World Program. Even if some of the code they worked with was a little over his head, he was still a software designer. Also, I doubt he wanted to be separated from his child anytime soon. Most of the captives with surviving family shared that sentiment. The only exceptions were Komaru Naegi, obviously, and Fuhito Kirigiri and Aloysius Pennyworth, both of whom were trying to run the 14th Division while Kyoko and Byakuya were occupied. And yeah, when I say all the captives, that includes...

A meow sounded as I turned to Celeste, sat down at a table enjoying her afternoon tea, with her precious cat snuggling on her lap. I suppose I couldn't be too judgmental of the fact she brought her cat. I mean, I still had Toko's stinkbug Kameko with my luggage. "Hey, Celeste, Grand Bois Cheri."

"Hello, Albert. Nice to see you." She said somewhat dismissively. Grand Bois Cheri meowed at me, and I could've sworn he was looking down his nose at me.

I ignored them and turned to the final person in the room. I had managed to convince my friend Miaya Gekkogahara to watch over the project as well. I mean, she helped design the program, so why wouldn't she? As the former Ultimate Therapist, she had quite a bit of interest in the project already. All I had to do was call her up and ask for a favour, and that was that. "Hey, Miaya. How's it going?"

Her eyes met mine as she buried her face in her scarf. An avatar of Usami appeared on the computer screen at the front of her wheelchair. The Usami avatar answered me. "Hello, Albert! I watched over the project, just like you asked. Everything seemed to be going smoothly... until just a little while ago, that is."

"Speaking of, now that you've said hello to everyone, do you think we could get into exactly why we called you here?" Byakuya asked, pointing at one of the monitors.

It seemed to be a status list for each of the students. There were various bars measuring their hunger, thirst, temperature, and such. Green text off to the side read ACTIVE, which meant everyone was still alive. If they weren't in the program or were unconscious, the text would change to yellow and read INACTIVE, and if anyone died, it would change to red and read CRITICAL. So I knew no one was dead prematurely.

"What's the trouble?" I asked.

"Hang on..." Chihiro moved the cursor over to that monitor, and began scrolling down. It was all in Gojuon ordering, the Japanese equivalent of alphabetical order, with their surnames first. The only exception was the Imposter, who was represented by "?" and was thus at the top of the list. Eventually, I noticed a surname I didn't recognize.

"...Yugami? Maki Yugami?" I read. Even with the translator Toshihide left in my head, I knew very little of Japanese etymology. Still, even I knew that that... was a weird name.

"Do you know her?" Byakuya asked.

"No... No, I never heard that name before in my life." I answered. "Trust me, I'd remember." I checked a security monitor showing the Pod Room. There was no movement, just fifteen pods. "How did she get in the program, anyway?"

Chihiro shook his head. "That's just it, we have no idea. We only have fifteen pods set up. And the system isn't wireless, so she couldn't be coming in from somewhere else."

"Might I make a suggestion?" Celeste said, standing as Grand Bois Cheri leapt from her lap. "I noticed something that I think might be important."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked.

She pointed back to the status screen. "I may not be an expert, but I learned a lot about names while trying to come up with my own. Every name means something, and the meaning of a name can tell you a lot about the one who carries it. Case in point..."

I looked to the name again. "Maki Yugami..." The kanji making up Maki were the kanji for True and Hope, respectively. Yugami was a homonym for the Japanese word for a warp, or a distortion. "...Distortion of True Hope."

"It sounds like something Junko would come up with, does it not?" Celeste pressed.

"You think the Junko virus created her, after all?" Kyoko asked.

"Why not? Chihiro created Alter Ego and his sister, Alter Ego Chiaki. Who's to say an AI of Junko couldn't copy some of that code to create an entirely new identity?"

"I don't know..." Makoto muttered. "Could it really be that simple?"

"Actually... That makes some sense." Taichi said, nodding to his son.

"Yeah, actually." Chihiro agreed. "We noticed that the files for this Maki Yugami were buried a lot deeper in the system than the Remnants. We're still trying to get to them, but they're hidden behind so many firewalls, it's taking longer than expected."

"...Meaning what, exactly?" I asked.

"Well, she didn't get in through a pod, and the Junko virus seems to be protecting her files. Everything seems to point to Celeste's theory being true."

I considered this as Chiaki stepped forward. "How much of the system has Junko taken over?"

"Quite a bit." Taichi sighed. "Even with Albert's intel, it still took us by surprise. Whoever designed this virus was an expert, that's for sure."

"Keep it at bay." I commanded. "I don't know how this programming magic works, but just keep it back as long as you can. The second it takes control of the whole system, we lose."

"Right. We don't need to panic, yet. If I had to estimate, we're still in control of a little over 50% of the system, but our defences should be enough to slow it down quite a bit."

"You can count on us!" Chihiro said confidently as him and his father returned to their labours.

We stood around for another few seconds, unsure of what to do next, since calling me here didn't seem to help with anything.

Celeste started looking around. She muttered, "Oh, where did that damn cat get off to, now?"

Byakuya smirked. "Having a hard time keeping the pampered puss on a leash, huh?"

I turned to him. "Oh, Byakuya, you shouldn't talk about yourself like that." My remark earned a few chuckles throughout the room.

He sighed. "At least you haven't lost your wit."

"Bad cat!" Celeste said, kneeling next to the desk Chihiro and Taichi were working at. "Get out from under there! I am _not _crawling over to get you!"

"What's he doing?" Makoto asked.

"Ugh, he's just staring at the computer and... Okay, yes, come here." She picked up her cat and rose to her feet, huffing. "What am I going to do with you...?"

"You said he's been acting weird since we got to the island, right?" Chiaki asked.

"Right. Maybe it's the tropical air, or something." She guessed. "I guess we won't know unless we get a veterinarian to look at him."

I turned to Miaya. "How about you? You know anything about animal minds?"

She shook her head as the Usami avatar responded. "Sorry, but there's a very big difference between humans and cats. What about you, you're a psychologist, aren't you?"

I shook my head. "I'm allergic to cats, so I don't spend that much time with them. Speaking of, if you could keep him away from me, you'd have my gratitude."

Celeste nodded. "I suppose I'll return to my tea, now."

I watched her walk off before turning back to the monitor. I could see the in-game camera footage where all of the students, dazed and confused, were going around introducing themselves. Hajime, like I remember, was collapsed on the beach. I looked over, and there I saw her... Maki Yugami. She was having a conversation with Alter Ego Chiaki. She didn't seem worried about the fact that she was on a tropical island, or anything like that. Maybe she _was_ just an AI...

"The only question is, why is she here?" I wondered. "I mean, she wasn't in the game's events, so how is my presence related to this?"

"There's not really any way to know that." Makoto said. "I mean, since our memories were stolen, we have no way to know what you did during your time at Hope's Peak."

"For all we know, Albert could've influenced Junko somehow before she made the virus." Kyoko agreed.

I stared at the screen. That didn't sit right with me. I mean, yeah, I imagine I had some effect on Junko before the Tragedy, but due to Toshihide's manipulations, I didn't get the chance to stop her. What didn't sit right with me, though, was the fact that she didn't seem to act too much different during the first killing game. Yeah, she was a fucking loon, but she didn't change the motives, or add bullshit rules, or anything. The only difference was that she let me participate. So why, after all those similarities, was her AIs behaviour the one thing that ended up different?

Butterfly effect works in mysterious ways, I guess.

"She's also lying quite a bit..." Celeste noted.

I turned to her, then looked back at the screen. "Really?"

"Yes. If I spent some more time observing her, I think I could pinpoint exactly which topics she's lying about."

Byakuya stepped up. "Well then, why don't we split up our roles? Chihiro and Taichi have their hands full fighting the virus. Makoto, Kyoko, Al, and I will investigate exactly what's going on, and whether or not this is an AI or something worse. Celeste, in the mean time, can watch the program to keep tabs on this Maki Yugami."

I smirked. "Wow, you're almost as good a leader as the Imposter."

His face paled as he sneered at me. "Don't even joke about that... There's no contest between me and that... glutton."

Celeste shook her head. "Well, anyway, I suppose I have nothing better to do. I can keep an eye on the program."

"I will, too." Chiaki insisted. "That's the whole reason I'm here. I have to make sure my classmates are okay. We can work in shifts."

Miaya's face lit up as Usami said, "I'll help, too! I did help design the program, after all! At the very least, I can keep note on the Remnant's mental state."

I scanned the room. "Alright. It seems we all have our places. Let's get to work." I turned one last time to the screen to see Maki Yugami.

Whether or not she was an AI created by Junko... or something else entirely... whatever the case, I got a feeling my troubles weren't over yet.

This wasn't the end for the battle between hope... and despair...

* * *

**A new OC!? Why, I haven't seen anything like this since the great Susumu discovery of September '18!**

**For me, it just wouldn't make sense for Albert to enter the Neo World Program. I know he never played DR3, but I was spoiled on the twist involving them before I saw it happen, and since Albert originated as a self-insert, I think it's safe to assume he also knows the conclusion. So, what would it change? Why would he enter the program? Besides, if we need someone to manage the kids, that's Alter Ego Chiaki's job. The closest I could see Albert doing was also making an Alter Ego of himself to serve in the game, but that just felt weird. So, I introduce, Maki Yugami!**

**And I assure you, whatever your initial impression of Maki is, good or bad, it's likely intentional. By the end of the story, you'll see why... Also, her talent will be revealed in the next chapter. So much was thrown in right at the start, it would have been awkward to throw in her talent.**

**Anyway, if you're still on for the ride, then let's go. In the next chapter, we'll explore Jabberwock Island.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Welp, we're only at Chapter 1 and I already broke my preferred weekly schedule. Unfortunately, due to circumstances in my personal life, I do expect uploads to occur a little slower than usual. Still, I'm going to remain ever vigilant and keep working at it. ****It also doesn't help that I got a little greedy with this chapter, trying to include both Maki's general introduction as well as the beginning of the Killing Game. Speaking of, Maki says her talent once she meets Hajime, which happens further down, so until then, feel free to play the guessing game and tell me how close you were!**

**Also, because I'm forgetful, I didn't say this in the previous chapter. However, credit to CannibalisticApple for aiding me in ironing out some of the more confusing or vague plot elements involved with Danganronpa 2, as well as some of the consequences of Maki's inclusion. Sometimes, having someone to bounce ideas off of really helps. So if you're into Naruto fics then go and check out CannibalisticApple. Got my recommendation, even though I know like, nothing about Naruto.**

**Anything else... Well, I also have a poll set up on my profile. Just for fun, I want to know which characters ****from V3 you guys think would get along with Albert.**

**Alright, I've been stalling long enough. I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Under New Management**

After being dropped off on the island by Usami, the various students of class 77-B scattered to explore the islands available to them.

Nagito had opted to stay with the unconscious Hajime Hinata. Ibuki and Mikan both went for the Rocketpunch Market first, hoping to see what kind of things they had to work with on the island. Akane and Hiyoko headed for the Usami Corral, though neither seemed to have any real goal in mind. Chiaki, Fuyuhiko, Mahiru, Nekomaru, Peko, Sonia, and Teruteru all went to check out Hotel Mirai, which seemed to be where the group would be staying for the trip. Byakuya alone headed across the bridge leading to the Central Island. That left Gundham, Kazuichi, and Maki to investigate the airport, to see if they could use any of the many vehicles there to escape the island.

As the Ultimate Mechanic reentered the building from the airfield, tucking his wrench into his jumpsuit pocket, he let out a deep sigh. It was clear from his expression what kind of answer she'd get, but Maki decided to ask anyway. "How does it look, Soda Pop?"

He laughed a little at the nickname. "Uh, don't call me that. Anyways, it doesn't look good. The plane didn't even start. I dug around inside, hoping it was something I could fix, but the thing was missing its engine. Nothing I can do about that."

"And the others?"

"Haven't checked yet, but I'm guessing it'll be the same. Whoever brought us here really must've thought of everything." He let out another sigh, this one devolving into more of a whimper.

"At any rate, it seems our exit will not be through the path of the winds." Gundham noted.

Maki shook her head, scanning the airfield. "Couldn't you make like, a boat or something out of their parts?"

"Sure. But the boat wouldn't have an engine or motor, so we're back to the main problem..." Kazuichi explained. "Even if I could build a makeshift engine out of spare parts, I doubt there's any fuel on this island."

"I presume your mortal vehicles don't run on the blood of virgins?" Gundham suggested, seemingly half-serious.

"Uh, no, they don't." Kazuichi squinted at the other boy for a second. "Hey man, do you think you could cut the act? I mean, this is kinda serious, right? We don't even know where we are, or anything."

"Hmph. What you perceive as an act is simply the grandeur of the Tanaka Empire!" He outstretches his arms, and four hamsters jumped from his scarf and made their way down his arms. "You cannot silence us with mere words!"

Maki scratched her head as she turned to Kazuichi. "I think it'd just be easier to let him talk how he wants. At least, that's what I gleaned from that."

The Breeder frowned at her. "I assumed someone like you would be more readily able to understand my tongue, given your sinister aura..."

"Are you referring to my name, or my talent? Because neither of those give me the power to understand your weird, um, dialect."

"Well, he does raise a good point." Kazuichi said. "Er, not your aura, I mean, that's stupid. But your name is pretty uncommon."

"I guess so. But hey, I guess Yugami would sound pretty weird to someone with a name like Tanaka."

Gundham's face twisted slightly. "Tanaka may be an ordinary family name, but it's far better than Sato or Suzuki!"

Maki shook her head as she turned toward the door and started walking off. "Anyway, the only reason I came here was because I was expecting a plane ride. If we're going to be staying here for a while, I think I'm going to go check out the hotel."

Kazuichi pulled out his wrench once more. "Yeah, alright. I guess I'll check out the rest of the planes. Not like I have anything better to do. But I do want to see what kind of stuff this resort has to offer."

As the two walked off, Gundham grunted, staring down at his Four Dark Devas. "Tiring company, are they not?"

* * *

As Fuyuhiko exited his cottage and stepped out onto the boardwalk, he caught sight of Maki entering the hotel grounds. He averted his gaze and ignored her, but she called out to him, "Hey, Boss Baby!"

He turned to her with a glare. "What the fuck did you just call me!?"

She paused for a moment. "Uh... Boss. Just Boss."

"Tch... Sorry, but you don't exactly strike me as the yakuza type."

She raised her hands in surrender. "Well, I'm not, I just thought I'd show some respect, you know?"

"Yeah, right..." He started walking toward the pool area, and suppressed a groan when he saw Maki was following him. "You went to check out the airport, right? How's that lookin'?"

"According to Kazuichi, the planes don't have engines. So they're basically just for show."

"Well, shit. I guess if there's anyone who'd know how the planes are doing, it'd be the Ultimate Mechanic..."

"Yeah, even if he is, uh... not the sharpest tool in the shed."

"Hey, looks like that's something we can agree on. Stay outta my way, and maybe we can get along. Oh, and don't call me Boss Baby."

"I didn't in the first place, but sure thing." Maki agreed as the Yakuza walked off. She turned to who was now the nearest person to her. "He's a bit prickly, huh?"

Mahiru fiddled with her camera for a moment, perhaps a nervous tick. "He's probably just insecure. You know, trying to act tough when he's just as scared as everyone else."

"Yeah, probably. But I guess he wouldn't be a big fan of me, either way, given my talent. Anyway, how do the cottages look?"

"See for yourself. Your's is at the end of the boardwalk." She pointed Maki in the right direction. Sure enough, between Ibuki's and Mahiru's cottages, placed somewhat sloppily at the end of the walk, was Maki's cottage. It appeared almost like it was added after the rest of the area was constructed, as the fence and the plants beyond were cut out in a square shape large enough for the building to fit. Maki turned and examined the boy's side. There was a similar cottage, but it appeared to be unoccupied. Which made sense; there were only eight boys, but nine girls.

"It's just my luck to end up with the cheapest one. But I guess I can't complain too much, a resort is still a resort." She grasped the key that was lodged in the keyhole, with a keychain attached that read "M. Yugami." She turned the knob and pushed open the door.

Inside was what one may expect to find at a luxury hotel. There was a large bed with a canopy hanging over it, and HD television, a nice sofa and end table, blackout curtains for the windows, various potted tropical plants, a rug adorning the center of the floor, and a large bookcase in the corner of the room. The bookcase contained an assortment of psychology textbooks, many graphs listing crime rates in certain areas, as well as twelve binders, containing details of different killings, and the motives behind the crimes. Each binder had almost 500 cases in them.

"Yeesh, that is a lot of reading. I guess I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands, though. But I have to say, the murder cases look a lot more interesting than a simple psychology textbook." She looked around, unsure of what to do. She didn't quite feel like reading at the moment, given recent events.

She considered taking a nap, but she wasn't tired. She considered taking a bath, but aside from the sand in her shoes, she was perfectly clean. Finally, she decided there wasn't anything to be done in her cottage, and left, being sure to lock the door on her way out.

As she made her way down the boardwalk, she ran into Hajime and Nagito.

"Oh, hey, you're looking a lot more conscious than when I last saw you." She remarked. Nagito gave a light laugh.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I guess..." The boy said. "Anyway, we haven't introduced ourselves yet, right?"

"No, I suppose we haven't." Rather than introduce herself, she simply stood and waited for him to go first.

"Ah, my name is Hajime Hinata." He gave a slight bow, not too polite, but not too informal, either.

"Noted. And your talent? Everyone I've met so far is a student of Hope's Peak, so..."

"Oh, um... Th-The thing is, I honestly can't remember." He said, somewhat ashamed.

"Huh, I've never met an amnesiac before. Retrograde amnesia seems to best fit what we're talking about, since you still remember your identity, but given that you've specifically forgotten memories relating to your talent, it might be that someone purposely inflicted you with it... Though since I'm not a neurologist, I don't know of any techniques that could cause that..."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking... Could I have your name, too?" Hajime asked.

"Ah, sorry. I tend to get off track when I think about the human mind. It's a fascinating thing, y'know? Anyway, you can call me Maki Yugami. As for my talent, I'm the Ultimate Criminologist."

"Criminologist...?"

"Let's see... Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminals. A criminologist studies the causes, effects, and social impacts of crime, and try to find ways to predict, deter, and prevent further criminal behaviour. So, basically, I'm like a detective, but I focus more on the psychological side rather than the physical."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense."

She stared at him for a moment, a smile on her face. "You seem interesting. I'll see you around, Hajime."

She walked off to continue exploring the island, leaving Hajime alone with Nagito, who the former noted had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the whole exchange.

* * *

The Imposter stood on the beach impatiently as the other student began to arrive. Only a little while ago, that Usami thing had played an announcement calling them all to the beach. He wasn't sure what they were called for, but he had a bad feeling about it.

Soon, Maki arrived, taking careful steps so as to not get more sand in her shoes than was necessary. Right behind her was Hajime and Nagito.

"You guys are the last to arrive." The Imposter scolded. "What are you dilly-dallying for?"

Nagito shrugged. "Sorry to keep you all waiting." He sounded sincere, at least.

"Well, it's all right... More importantly, this is our only chance to talk between ourselves before that rabbit returns."

"Kyahaha! Let's talk!" Hiyoko said enthusiastically.

"Now then, let me hear your initial impressions of this island." The Imposter decided.

"I happened to notice numerous blocked off bridges on the central island..." Peko noted.

"Oh, those are there so everybody doesn't get lost!" Ibuki explained. "I tried to cross one of them and that rabbit showed up and told me, so I'm telling the truth!"

"So we don't get lost...? Is this island really so big?"

"But if you look at it in depth, it's just a normal island, right?" Kazuichi asked. "It's got a resort and everything! Well, not that I've ever been to a resort before, but..."

"Also, there's a biiiiig ranch!" Hiyoko said.

"Um... there's also a large supermarket, too... It looks like it stocks everything from food to living amenities." Mikan explained.

"The hotel was really nice, too." Mahiru noted. "It'd be great if we can stay there."

"The restaurant inside the hotel was also very nice." Sonia said. "It seemed to cater to a more plebian taste."

"Can you guys listen to what I wanna say, too?" Teruteru asked. "I... found something very important on this island. Girls! Very, very cute girls! Aha! All over the place!"

"Grooooooss!" Ibuki whined, backing away. "I'm getting goosebumps!"

The Imposter shook his head and sighed at this display. "All of you are fools... I can't believe nobody has mentioned the most serious truth."

"...The most serious truth?" Chiaki repeated.

"If no one here realized it, you're all bigger fools than I thought."

"What did you say, you fat bastard?" Fuyuhiko snapped. "Don't be talkin' all big and shit!"

The Imposter scoffed and, channeling the persona he was impersonating, simply replied with, "Small dogs shouldn't bark so loud."

"Hey, what's the most serious truth?" Hajime asked. "Did... did you find something out about this island?"

"...Have you all gone to the park that's across the bridge?" He asked.

"The park with that weird bronze statue of all those creepy animals, right?" Hajime recalled.

"When I saw it, I remembered a story I'd heard before. There's an island in the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful island paradise where summer never ends... It consists of a central island surrounded by five different islands... It's also said that five holy animals symbolize each of those surrounding islands."

"Eh...?"

"That island's name is... Jabberwock Island." He finished dramatically. He looked around to see each of the students' reactions.

Nagito looked around uneasily. "Could this island be...?"

"Jabberwock Island?" Hajime finished. "Is that... the name of this island?"

"Still, there is something on my mind." The Imposter continued. "In fact, according to what I've heard, Jabberwock Island is already... Never mind."

"Hold it right there!" Nekomaru insisted. "That's a rather incomplete story you've told us."

"No need to shout. I'll let you know once I obtain more information."

"Meh, I don't care what this island's called." Akane decided. "Nikoniko Island or Papua Island or whatever... Doesn't chance the fact that we all gotta live here, right?"

"Living together on this tropical island sure is exciiiiting!" Ibuki cheered. "I'm super looking forward to it!"

"Right on!" Kazuichi said, seeming calmer than he was at the start. "This ain't a bad school at all!"

"H-Hey? You guys?" Hajime, having only woken up a little while ago, had very little time to adjust.

"Hmm, I like this island too!" Hiyoko decided. "...Can't say the same about the rest of you cretins."

"Huh? Did I hear something?" Teruteru asked her.

"I'm still worried," Mahiru admitted. "but I don't feel as worried as I did earlier... Yeah, since there won't be any danger or inconvenience, I feel like this won't be a problem!"

"Hey, listen to what you guys are saying." Hajime insisted. "We need to stay calm and think about this...! We're all here to attend Hope's Peak Academy, right? But we're living on an island like this instead... No matter what, it's completely weird!"

"Why don't you stop talking for a while?" Gundham suggested coldly. "Go cool your head off or something."

"...Eh?"

"P-Plus even if we wanted to leave, there's no way we can..." Teruteru pointed out.

"There's no ship, and the planes are just for show..." Kazuichi agreed.

"From what I've discovered, there's no way to contact the outside world, either..." Peko said. "In conclusion... it would be impossible to call for help."

"Then, why don't we just swim home?" Akane suggested.

"There's no way we can swim that far...!" Mikan gasped.

"SHOW SOME SPIRIT!" Nekomaru shouted. Ever the source of inspiration.

"I'm telling you, that's impossible!" Mahiru insisted. Ever the voice of reason.

"Th-Then... what if we cut down some trees and make a raft...?" Hajime suggested.

"Nuh-uh!" Usami showed up out of nowhere, causing several students to jump back. "You can't do that! That's the biggest of no-nos! Please recall the guidelines of this school trip! "Littering is not allowed. Let us coexist with this island's bountiful nature in mutual prosperity." Got it? I want everyone to get along and live peacefully on this beautiful tropical island."

"Wh-What's with these rules?" Hajime asked. "Who cares about that...!"

The Imposter raised a hand to call attention. "Stop. This rabbit seems to be rather finicky about these so-called rules. Based on that, what if your actions place everyone here in danger?"

"Th-The word "danger" is a bit much!" Usami argued. "I wouldn't do something like that!"

"Hajime... I understand how you feel, but you need to calm down a little, okay?" Nagito eased.

"F-For now... as long as we don't do anything weird, it seems there is no danger..." Mikan observed.

"And as long as we gather the Hope Fragments, we'll be able to get off this island soon." Chiaki said.

"Y-You're all just gonna believe that...?" Hajime asked, exasperated.

"There's no other choice but to believe... for now, at least." The Imposter explained.

"Anyway, Usami!" Ibuki approached the rabbit excitedly. "What's this present you mentioned in your announcement earlier?"

"Ah, that's right! Well, of course I didn't forget... Love! Love! This is it!" She reached behind her and pulled out a bunch of small pieces of merchandise. "Don't be upset! I've prepared one for you all, so don't worry!" She went around passing them out.

Nagito inspected his. "What is it...?"

"Pfft, teehee! It's an Usami Strap! If you squeeze the tummy, it talks." To demonstrate, she took one of her own and pressed the tummy. _I'm Usami... Magical Miracle Girl Usami. I'm an itty bitty girl who's sweet like milk!_ It said. "Isn't it cute? Love, love!"

The Imposter shook his head. "...What a waste of time."

"Man, and I got my hopes up, too..." Ibuki said, tossing her's to the sand.

"I'm ashamed I even had my hopes up!" Teruteru cried.

"Really?" Chiaki was the only one who seemed content. "I think it's pretty cute. Especially how the ears look like a rabbit's..."

Maki chuckled. "Doesn't take a lot to please you, huh?"

"Well, Usami does mean "rabbit," you know!" The rabbit in question slowly looked around, and noticed that Chiaki was the only one who was still holding her strap. "Hey! You can't taint nature with trash!"

"See? Even you think they're trash!" Ibuki said.

Usami sadly went around picking up the straps. As she did, she muttered to herself, "Ugh... and I even prepared one more present, too, but now I don't wanna give it to you bad kids..."

At that, everyone perked up. Peko asked, "Hm? You have something else?"

"Well, compared to the Usami Strap, it's not that big of a deal... Basically, I've prepared a motive for everyone."

"A motive...?" Hajime asked, paling at the choice of words.

"That's right. A motive for everyone to get along. We've come all this way to a tropical island, so I thought it'd be great to do something island-themed."

"Like what?" Akane asked. "Are you thinkin' of throwin' a big party or somethin'?"

"Coooorrect!"

"Is it a festival? Or maybe a miniature shrine? How wonderful!" Sonia marveled.

"Excuse me, Miss Sonia..." Teruteru looked up to the girl with a mischievous grin. "My loins are still full of poison, and I'd appreciate it if you could suck it out with your mouth."

"Knock it off, Teruteru!" Nagito said, getting between them.

"Oh, your tenderloins? You betcha."

"Just ignore him, Sonia!"

"If we're talking about fun parties on a tropical island, maybe it should be a barbecue or something?" Ibuki suggested.

"Ah, a campfire sounds fun, too." Mahiru said.

"Let's find a hoop snake and kill it!" Hiyoko said excitedly.

"Is looking for one not enough for you!?" Kazuichi asked.

Usami stared out into the distance. "It seems everyone has different ideas, but if we're gonna be at the ocean, then first... Taadaa! This is what it's all about!" She pulled out two swimming bags out of nowhere, one blue, and the other red.

"A swimming bag?" Nagito observed.

"Coooorrect! Love! Love!"

"Whoaaa! Then that means..." Kazuichi dove for the bags and pulled them open.

"That's right. I have swimsuits for everyone! Well, school swimsuits actually. I hope that's okay."

"A-Are you telling us to go swimming...?" Hajime asked. "In a situation like this...?"

"It's not like I'm ordering you guys to swim or anything. It's just, if you wanna go swimming, you can..."

"Th-There's no way I'm going swimming! There's no way anyone would be so thoughtless as to go swimming in a situation like this..." A few feet behind him, Maki was counting down on her fingers, mouthing _Three, two..._

"YAAAHHHOOOOOO!" Ibuki cheered as she picked her swimsuit from the pile.

"Eh?"

"Aw yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Kazuichi said, picking his trunks. "With weather this nice, there's no way I'm gonna pass on swimming!"

"I agree!" Teruteru picked a pair of trunks his size as well. "Even my loins agree! See?"

"Your tenderloins? I understand!" Sonia nodded to him as she also grabbed her swimsuit.

Nagito was still standing between then. "S-Seriously, don't try to understand!"

"How long has it been since I last swam in the sea?" Mahiru wondered aloud as she grabbed her's.

Maki picked one up as well, and seemed to consider it for a moment before shrugging. "Why not? The weather calls for it, either way."

"Allllllll riiiiiight!" Nekomaru announced. "Let's go change!" And everyone who took a swimsuit ran to the hotel to change.

The Imposter remained firmly planted in his spot on the beach. Not only was he less than enthusiastic with the idea of removing his disguise, but this whole situation seemed odd to him. He was expecting something bad to happen any minute now. Until then, he would observe the events from a safe distance, he decided.

Whether they shared his reasons or not, there were a handful of others on the beach with him. Nagito was the last to pick up his swimming trunks. He turned to Hajime, who remained still. "What are you going to do, Hajime? I understand how you feel, and I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do... But if you feel up for it, I'd be happy if you came along, too." With that, he took off toward the hotel as well.

Hajime stood, stunned, unsure of what to do.

"Hmph." The Imposter looked around at the other remainders. Akane, Chiaki, Fuyuhiko, and Hiyoko. Oh, and of course, Usami. The Imposter stared down at the little rabbit, wondering just what it was, what was its story, why did it take them to this island?

Usami, however, seemed to be watching the road. After about a minute, she interrupted the conversations the others were having. "Ah! Speaking of which, everyone has returned!"

As she said it, eleven bodies clothed in swimsuits ran into the water, cheering and shouting in joy.

"YAAAAAHOOOOOO!" Kazuichi screeched as he ran in.

"Yaaaay! The sea!" Mikan shouted, trying to match everyone's excitement.

"Aaah, the water is so cool." Sonia remarked. "It feels great!"

"Uah! Too salty!" Ibuki whined, refusing to close her mouth. "This water's too salty! It's not going easy on me!"

"Heeeey, I got some suntan lotion from the supermarket." Teruteru waddled around pointing it out to everyone. "Would anyone like a rub down?"

"Oh! You're quite considerate!" Nekomaru knelt down so the Chef could reach him. "Now then, will you apply it right away?"

"Eh? Rubbing lotion on a muscular man...?" Teruteru was stunned at the prospect... for about two seconds. "All right, no problem! My tastes are pretty open, you know!"

"You seem a little _too _open... Like you're covering too many bases by yourself." Mahiru teased.

"Mmhmhm... I'll make sure to slather you with lots and lots of oil."

As he was being rubbed, Nekomaru had a horrified expression. "Wh-What is this feeling of intense bloodlust!?"

As the Imposter rolled his eyes, Usami spoke up. "Yep yep! I'm very happy. Everyone seems to be getting along with each other, so I'm very happy. I thought this would be hard until everyone got used to this, but they're all acting like Ultimates! Let's keep up the pace and all do our best to peacefully enjoy this heart-throbbing school trip!"

After another few seconds, Hajime said, "Fine... I just gotta do it, right? Then... I'll do it! That's right, I'll do it!"

"Hajime? Did something happen?" Usami asked.

"Hey! Hand me one of those swimsuits!" He turned and called out to the water. "Heeeey you guys! Don't forget about me! Hey hey! Wait for me! Let me join in the fun!... Wait, huh?" He stared up at the sky, stunned. One by one, the other students looked up at what he noticed. The sky grew grey with clouds, and intense storm wind filled the area and pushed the waves. "What's happening...? These strange clouds... This doesn't look natural at all...!"

"Eh? Huh...?" Usami looked just as shocked as everyone else.

Hajime turned on her. "Hey, what's going on? What did you do!? This is obviously not right! It was sunny just a few moments ago!"

"Wha... Wha-wha-wha... Wh-What is this!?" She shrieked.

"...Huh?"

"I didn't do anything... What is all this...? There's no way! Something like this shouldn't be happening!"

As she said that, the monitor on a nearby palm tree sparked to life. Static filled the screen, causing whoever was speaking to sound choppy. Their gleeful, twisted voice announced to the students, "Ahh, ahh...! Mike check! Mike check! Ah, ah! Ah, ah! Can you hear me, can you hear me? Puhuhu... Surprised? You were totally surprised!... Riiiight? Now then, sorry to keep you all waiting for so long. Let's leave all this worthless entertainment behind... It's time for the main attraction! You guys better hustle over to Jabberwock Park!"

"Could it be? This voice...! I-If this is... Oh, this is very bad. I gotta do something... It's all up to me!" As she said that, Usami disappeared from the students' gazes.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Hajime demanded.

The Imposter stared up at the sky. "It seems that... was an unusual occurrence..."

"It's best if... we go, too..." Chiaki suggested. "Jabberwock Park, was it? Let's hurry." She turned and dashed off toward the bridge, faster than anyone had seen her move yet.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Akane followed her, quickly catching up.

"B-But what about everyone who's swimming?" Hajime asked as said students began to exit the water.

The Imposter shook his head. "There's no time to wait for them to change. I have a bad feeling about this... I'll head over first." With that, he dashed off to follow after the girls, leaving the others to follow behind him.

* * *

Usami was leering around desperately at her surroundings as Hajime, Akane, Byakuya, Chiaki, Fuyuhiko, and Hiyoko all arrived at Jabberwock Park behind her. She stood at the center before the great statue, looking in every direction as if her enemies were everywhere. She knew, due to Future Foundation intel, to expect the worst, but she legitimately hoped that it wouldn't come to this. "Wh-Where are you!? Where are you hiding!?"

"H-Hiding? Who are you talking to?" Hajime asked.

"Puhuhuhuhu!"

"...Eh?"

"Hey-hey!" Usami turned toward the direction of the laughter. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

"Ahhhh-hahahahahahaha!" Everyone's attention turned toward the large Jabberwock Statue. That's when he finally showed his face. That's when... Monokuma appeared.

The visage of a teddy bear, one half black, the other white, leaped up over the massive statue in a single bound, landing before the animals but still upon the podium. Everyone stood in stunned silence for a moment.

He took it upon himself to speak first. "Why, hello there! Thank you all for waiting! Long time, no see guys! I am Monokuma! I'm the headmaster of this academy! Ahem, now that I have made my dashing appearance, the first thing I need to say is... This is so friggin' lame! Lame, I say! Lamer than the lamest lamesauce! Oh, wait. Lamesauce!? Is that tasty?"

"Just as I thought... It was you!" Usami stood between Monokuma and the rest of the students, her Magic Stick in hand, ready to defend them if necessary. "But... how...? Why is Monokuma here!?"

"Aw shaaaadup! I'm livid, you know... And I'm about ready to barf thanks to your lukewarm attitude! Just what's with this "heart-throbbing school trip" crap anyway!? I'm bored! So hopelessly bored! This just ain't fun at all! You better knock off this farce right now! You've gotta make this, y'know... meet the demands of the world. Nobody wants to see high school students living clam and peaceful lives. What everyone wants to see... Other people's misery... and despair..."

Usami knew that wasn't true, since her favourite genre besides romance or comedy was slice of life, but she assumed Monokuma wouldn't care about that. Fuyuhiko was the first student to speak. "Wh-What the hell is up with this stuffed animal...!? Nothing he's saying makes any damn sense...!"

"What... what is going on?" Byakuya asked. "What is that thing?"

Usami stepped forward, waving her Stick menacingly. "Be careful, everyone! Stay back and leave this to me! I don't know why Monokuma is here, but as long as I have this Magic Stick..."

"Yah! Opening!" Faster than any stuffed toy with his figure should be able to, Monokuma jumped at Usami, and the two of them started wrestling. Before any of the students could react, Monokuma stomped on her Stick, snapping it in two."Dun-dun-dah-dahhhhh! Victory!"

"Noooooo! My Magic Stick!"

"Now then, what to do after my flawless victory..." Monokuma wondered aloud. "First of all, you're too plain. White rabbits are faaaar too plain. Soooo, I'm gonna make you in my image! Aaah-hahahaha!" He grabbed her and started fighting with her again. "This is what happens when you defy me... I'll crunch ya! I'll bite ya! I'll rip you apart!"

Once again, before anyone could do anything, the dust settled, and Usami's right half was bright pink, and she was wearing a diaper. "Taaa-daaa! ALL DONE!"

"Wha-...? What is this!? I'm not supposed to look weird like this! Change me back to normal!"

"My, my... Defying your big brother's fashion sense. Is Monomi a little troublemaker?"

"...Big Brother? Monomi?"

"Your current position is too wishy-washy, so I'm setting you to be my little sister, Monomi... Though it's only an external setting, after all."

"Wh-Why do I have to be your little sister!?"

"...Big sister, then? You wanna be the older sister that got separated at birth? Hmm, that doesn't really feel right... Yep, you're definitely more like a little sister. Soooo that's how it's gonna be... Monomi! From now on, if you ever disobey me, I will never forgive you!"

"H-How...? Even the display changed to Monomi!?" Monomi said. "H-Hey! I won't let you make up your own settings!"

In response to her defiance, Monokuma reeled back and threw a heavy punch straight into her cheek. "Stupid fool! Do you think you can win against me!?"

"Owww! It hurts a lot when you punch me!" She pointed out, flying back.

"How about that!? Now you've learned your lesson!"

"Ugh... if only I still had the Magic Stick, I could have totally beaten that awful Monokuma..."

"Puhu! It's your fault for leaving yourself open! Even a one-second opening is life-threatening on a battlefield."

"Hey... what's with this stupid performance...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Wh-Who friggin' knows...!" Akane shouted.

"But... it's obvious something bad is happening." Chiaki decided.

Just then, the other students began showing up. "Whaa-!? What is this!? What's goin' on!?" Teruteru asked.

Monomi let out a sob, and Mahiru's attention turned toward her. "Huh? Now she's all weird-looking!"

"Weird-looking...?" Monokuma repeated sadly. "She matches me now, you know! How insensitive..."

"There's more of 'em!?" Ibuki screamed.

"Wh-What does this mean?" Peko asked. "What _is _that black and white tanuki...?"

"I'm not a tanuki, I'm a bear! I'm Monokuma!"

Kazuichi shook his head. "I-I don't understand it myself, but... a new stuffed animal appeared? I mean... why is that stuffed animal even talking...?"

"Seriously, I'm not a stuffed animal, I'm Monokuma! The headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy!"

"Monokuma...?" Nagito repeated.

"Did you say... headmaster!?" Nekomaru asked.

Monomi heard a quiet sigh come from Maki as she wrung saltwater out of her twintails. "Looks like he really is useless, after all..." She spoke quietly enough that no one else could hear her, only Monomi on account of her keen ears.

"Regardless... it appears everyone has gathered. Now then, as the headmaster, I shall make a formal declaration! From this point onward, the killing school trip will now commence! A school trip where everyone gets along has no stimulation at all! And that's so damn boring! Nobody wants to play a game like that! You guys agree with me, right!? Sooooo, let's begin our killing school trip! Naturally, you guys are the contestants!"

"K-Killing... contestants...?" Teruteru repeated.

"Wh-What are you saying!?" Monomi snapped. "I will absolutely, positively not allow such bloody events!"

Monokuma stared at her for a second, before twisting his body and angling a kick straight into her cheek, the same spot he hit her before.

"Owww! It hurts a lot when you kick me, too!"

"Jeez... Your brain sure is tiny, Monomi. How many times do I have to tell you? Pay attention this time. Except in manga, a little sister is never smarter than her older brother! Now then, we got off topic for a while, so let's go back to the explanation of the killing school trip!"

"Wh-Wh-What do you mean, "killing school trip"...?" Mikan asked.

"Isn't it obvious? You guys are going to kill each other!"

"Kill each other... I see..." Kazuichi scratched his head for a moment before his eyes widened. "K-KILL EACH OTHER!?"

"Wh-What are you saying!?" Teruteru asked. "That's impossible!"

"Well, don't you think it's kinda lame and boring that you can't leave the island unless you all get along? So I'm changing the rules! If you want off this island, then please kill one of your friends! And then, make it through the class trial without getting caught!"

"...Class trial?" Chiaki asked.

"That's right! The class trial is the real charm of this killing school trip! If one of you gets murdered... The surviving members must participate in the class trial! At the class trial, there will be a showdown between the blackened killer and the spotless students. During the trial, you'll present your arguments about who you think the blackened is. The outcome will be decided by popular vote and if you arrive at the correct answer... Only the blackened killer will be punished. The rest may continue their school trip. However... if you choose poorly... then the one who got away with murder will survive, and the rest of you will receive your punishment. As far as the class trial rules go... that's all there is to it! Which means, if you kill someone and make it through the class trial, you get to live and leave this island. However, if you are found guilty during the class trial, then you will be punished. Puhuhu it's a familiar but simple rule, right?"

"You... keep repeated that word "punish" over and over." Kazuichi noticed. "What's the deal with that?"

"Basically... it's an execution!"

"E-Execution!?" Sonia shrieked.

"The pleasing punishment that follows the class trial! This is one of the perks of the killing school trip. Puhuhu, what sort of spine-tingling punishments will we see? I can't help it, I'm already getting excited! There may even be some unique punishments, like impaling you through the head with a Thingamajig Claw! Ahem, any method of killing is fine. Popular ones like bludgeoning, stabbing, strangling, and poisoning... To shooting, beating, running over, burning, bombing, slashing, drowning, electrocution, crushing, cursing... Please, choose whichever killing method you prefer. No time limit, so you can kill as you please... It's an All-You-Can-Murder Buffet... A theme park of murder... That's what this killing school trip is all about!"

"D-Don't fuck with me..." Fuyuhiko spat.

"Th-That's right! Who on earth would kill someone?" Kazuichi asked.

"I'm not ordering anyone to kill. Whether or not you kill someone is entirely up to you. But be careful! Youth doesn't last forever! It'll be too late if you guys wait till you're in your forties to start killing each other!"

"I-I don't believe any of this..." Teruteru said firmly. "I don't believe any of this... I don't believe any of this..."

"Wh-What if nobody ever gets murdered?" Mahiru asked. "Does that mean we'll never leave this island?"

"Who knows!? Anyway, I'd like for you all to go through with this killing school trip in a healthy and positive manner."

"W-Wait just a minute!" Mahiru snapped. "Why do we have to do this!?"

"Well, it's obvious. There's a reason you all need to kill each other."

"Hold on..." Nekomaru stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You've been running your mouth for quite some time now... I don't want to get violent, but if I do, I have no idea what might happen!"

Akane stepped up to join him. "What, a fight? Do I need to beat the crap outta that black-and-white bear?"

Peko reached for her sword bag as she stepped forward as well. "Who would dare try to kill...? I'll put a stop to it, with force if necessary."

"If you keep saying stupid stuff, the athletes in our group are prepared to lose their patience!" Ibuki warned.

"Ah, is that so...?" Monokuma looked around. "Well, I guess I expected this reaction... If you guys wanna do things by force, then I'll have to fight back with a little force of my own..."

"Force?" Monomi repeated. "What are you gonna do...!?"

"Surge... O gods who dwell between light and darkness... In accordance with our contract, I summon thee now... Come forth, Monobeasts!"

The statue that he had been sitting on suddenly shattered, revealing beneath its exterior the bodies of five massive robots. All five jumped down and got into position to defend Monokuma from the students. Everyone jumped back, and various screams filled the area.

"Huh... huh...?" Sonia gasped.

"Wh-Why... did the statue move?" Mahiru asked.

"That's no statue! They're Monobeasts!" Monokuma laughed.

"M-M-M-M-Monster!" Kazuichi screamed.

"No, I just said they're Monobeasts!"

"N-No... this can't be... This is just... too weird...!" Mikan cried.

"Am I... having a nightmare or something...?" Fuyuhiko asked aloud.

"Kyahaha!" Hiyoko simply laughed. "A nightmare, he says! He just admitted his brain is a total flower patch!"

"Jeez... You guys sure are a skeptical bunch... If something doesn't fit within your narrow notions of common sense, you just deny it outright... How stupid. Ignorant cavemen are better than you all! Classifying events according to their genre is a disease of the modern age."

'Everyone! Please stay back!" Monomi jumped up and tried to stand between everyone at the 'beasts. "I-I will protect everyone! Even at the cost of my own life... I will protect everyone!"

Monokuma started miming vomiting motions. "Hurk!... Huh? What's this? Blurgh... Ugh... Ah, I know! This is nausea! Your sickly sweet sense of justice makes me wanna puke! All righty then, it's decided! You'll be my example to everyone!" With a single bound, he jumped upon the back of the bird Monobeast.

He gripped a control stick, and machine guns shifted out of the robot. He gave the word, and the machine started firing at Monomi, fulling her with dozens of bullets every second. It tore through her stuffing, and through the tree behind her, knocking it over. The students cowered as bullets ricocheted throughout the area. When the bullets finally stopped, all that was left of Monomi was her bullet-riddled bow, which drifted to the ground slowly.

As the initial cowering from the gunfire ceased, the students all stared up at the robots. Teruteru was shaking. "Wah... Waaaaah... WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"Wh-What is that!?" Kazuichi asked.

"A-blub-blub-blub-blub... It's only the first stage... and Monomi is already dead...!" Ibuki screamed.

"I-Is that a demon...!?" Gundham asked. "Or perhaps it's... a weapon from the future...!?"

"Monobeasts are dreadful weapons of destruction!" Monokuma boasted. "Puhuhu... That's right, this is what I wanted. This feeling of despair! Giving an example was totally the right call! Ah-hahahahahaha! Now then, I believe I've made my point... Just so we're clear, you guys can't defy me. If you don't want to end up as fish food, you better not disobey me! Just so you know... I don't feel mercy or sympathy. Cuz I'm a bear, after all. An excuse like, "I got high off this tropical atmosphere," won't work on me at all! Also, in addition to the killing school trip, I've already updated the e-Handbook. There, the rules for the killing school trip are written, so you better read them thoroughly. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse, either. Well, that's also true in any society, really. Now then... Enjoy the remainder of this liberating and harsh school trip!"

With that, Monokuma disappeared, and the Monobeasts trudged off toward the different bridges.

Every student had a different expression, but they all conveyed the same feeling: Exhaustion. They were all mentally exhausted from trying to process everything that occurred in the last 24 hours.

"Wh-What just... happened...?" Nagito wondered aloud. No one was able to provide an answer.

"U-Um... Um..." Teruteru took some deep breaths. "I-I... just won't believe it... That's it... That's all there is to it..."

"It'd be one thing if we were up against a human or even an animal..." Nekomaru said. "What the hell can we do against a monster like that!?"

"I-It's impossible... Why is something impossible happening...?" Kazuichi asked desperately.

"Well it's not... really impossible." Byakuya said quietly. "Those Monobeasts or whatever they're called are machines. Thus, Monokuma must also be the same... As long as they're machines... It means someone made them, and is controlling them."

"Who could be responsible...?" Peko asked. "Why were we put into this unexplainable situation..."

"Hey, who is it!? Who!?" Mahiru demanded, her composure gone.

"Aha... haha, it could be anyone." Teruteru offered. "It's not like I believe it anyway. There's no way I'd believe something like that. More importantly, are you guys hungry? Let's stop thinking about this and just eat."

"...You can eat first." Chiaki told him.

Byakuya stepped up. "No matter how confused or upset you are, I don't mind. However, remember this... I don't know who in the world is orchestrating this but... We don't need to be cautious of those machines... or even of whoever's controlling them... More than anything, we must be cautious of... Ourselves. Being brought to a tropical island with complete strangers, and ordered to kill each other to escape... That creates fear in our minds, and the desire to escape that hopeless fear... is our worst enemy."

And that was the beginning of the Killing School Trip. A nightmare for its participants and its viewers. A game of hope and despair. A game for the past and the future. A game of life and death. A game of logic and faith. A Killing Game.

And there was much torment to endure before they earned their happy ending.

* * *

**Alright, the Killing Game has finally begun. Okay, okay, I won't say too much down here. This chapter's already long enough. Hopefully the next one is a little shorter.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see Albert and friends react to these events, and see how well the participants respond to their new scenario.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Do you like it when a whole lot of nothing happens? Good.**

**Well, that's kinda unfair. This chapter does show us some events in the game. Just because it isn't too much different from canon doesn't mean it's not important. We also get to see how Albert and friends are reacting to the situation, and we're shown how Maki interacts with her classmates.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Unanswered Questions**

As the participants of the Neo World Program began bedding up for the night, I sighed and returned to my notes.

It was now evening, and I had been investigating all afternoon. Of course, since there was very little physical evidence to work with, I was on profiling duty. I was taking whatever information Celeste could gleam from her observations, and using it to try and figure out the origins of this Maki Yugami.

Maki Yugami. I've never heard that name before, but there's something about her behaviour that makes me think I've met her somewhere before. I don't get it, though. If I did meet her, when? Before Junko took my memories? I guess it's possible, Chihiro vaguely recognized Makoto at the start of our killing game, so it's not like it completely wipes the target's memory, just forces it into the subconscious or whatever. But if that's the case, how did my actions end up causing this... background character to end up in this program?

Toshihide pulled me across dimensions, which was weird, but I was still in a physical world. How did this girl get into the Neo World Program without having her body hooked up to it? Where was her body? Who was she?

I shook my head and turned to Celeste, who was making her last-minute observations as Maki went to bed. "Hmm... Well, she has yet to shower, so I assume she does that in the morning. Either that, or she's like Toko and just doesn't. She spent the last hour reading those binders with the murder cases, so she may be planning something. Other than that, she seemed to fall asleep rather quickly, without trouble. She seems comfortable sleeping on her side, in her underwear."

"Hm. I'd sleep in less than my underwear if I was on a tropical island."

"You _are _on a tropical island." She pointed out.

I rubbed my eyes. "Right. Sorry, still operating under Towa conditions." Either way, I wrote down what she told me, even if I wasn't entirely sure how helpful it would be for figuring out who this girl was. I turned back to the first page, and started reading back my notes to myself.

"I'm really sorry I couldn't stop the killing game..." Chihiro apologized for the third time this hour.

"Don't be." I said. "This was the expected outcome from the beginning. I knew we'd only be able to buy a little time, at best. The only variable is _her_." I wondered if this was how Junko felt when Toshihide added me to her game. Probably not, that bitch is a master at making contingencies.

"I just wish I could've held off the virus longer..."

"Yeah, well, we all wish we were better. It sounds a lot easier than it really is." I said, maybe a little too harshly. Chihiro quietly returned to his programming, and guilt washed over me. It had only been about eight hours, and I was already letting the stress get to me. I took a deep breath.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Celeste, predicting who it was, got up and opened it. Sitting there was Miaya. Usami appeared on her screen. "Hello, Celeste! I just had breakfast, and I'm here to take over your shift!"

"Is it that time already?" She turned back to scan the room. "Grand Bois? We're leaving, dear."

I heard a meow from under Chihiro's desk yet again. I reached over to my plate of food I got from the cafeteria, and picked a piece of sushi (by the way, I don't recommend cafeteria sushi) and tossed it just next to the desk. The cat jumped out to snatch it, and Celeste went to pick him up. Once Grand Bois Cheri realized the fish was, in fact, fish and not his favourite Gyoza, he dropped it to the floor. I couldn't blame him.

Celeste had to hold the door open in order for Miaya to make it through, and then left once the hallway was no longer blocked.

"This place isn't very wheelchair-friendly, is it?" I remarked.

"Not really. My wheels sometimes get stuck on the path outside, the elevator moves slowly, and as you just saw, I can't open doors by myself. I guess there are things you take for granted, living in a city your whole life."

Hmm..." I got up and opened the door. I took one of my heavy psychology textbooks and laid it down to act as a doorstop. "That should make things a little more convenient, at least."

When I turned back to her, she was staring at one of the monitors. I followed her line of sight and saw the footage from the camera set up in Usami House. Monomi was laying on her bed, crying. Miaya started typing. "Wh-What did he do to her?"

"Oh, well, he broke her Magic Stick, painted her half-pink, and put her in a diaper." I explained. "That's about it. Oh, and he also usurped her position as teacher."

She stared for another few seconds before shaking her head. Her Usami avatar said, "Well, at least I haven't been compromised. That means the virus is only within this computer, not any of the others."

"Well, I already knew that. Or, at the very least, I could infer it based on narrative purposes." I said, taking a seat next to her. "Anyway, I'm not sure if there's anything you can observe, since they're all asleep, but maybe you can help me understand some of these notes I took."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, from what we've seen, none of the students have shown criminal tendencies. They all act as they did before entering Hope's Peak. So Celeste and I have made a point to keep note on Maki, since she's the wild card."

"You want me to help you profile her?"

"Yeah." I started reading my notes. "Apparently, she's shown tells of lying every time she introduces herself, which means either her name or talent is partly untrue. I'd bet talent, since she isn't recognized in any of our Hope's Peak records. She also didn't act very surprised when Monokuma showed up, her reaction was more like annoyance or frustration, which implies she knew the killing game was going to occur. Other than that, she seems pretty good at reading people, and is social enough to hold a conversation. Other than all that... I dunno."

"...You sound like you have more to say."

"I... I don't know how to put it into words, I just... I feel like I've seen her somewhere before, but I just can't place where. That fact's been torturing me this whole time. I have so many questions, and I hate not having any way to answer my questions."

"Maybe you never actually met her, you just think you did. It's not uncommon for people to notice mannerisms that can be found in their close friends. Maybe she just has similar behavioral patterns to that of someone you know."

"Heh, it's weird hearing Usami's voice speak so seriously." I remarked. "Well, I suppose that is entirely possible. But in that case, I have no idea who she reminds me of."

"Maybe you can't place it because you aren't used to looking at it like an outsider looking in."

"Huh?"

"Maybe the person you're seeing in her is yourself. I watched your killing game as well as this one, and I've noticed quite a few similarities in your behavior. Perhaps her experiences are causing you to recall your own traumatic experiences, and that's the source of your confusion."

I considered that. Miaya had a point. I was thinking quite a bit more about my time at Hope's Peak than usual. I had been attributing that to the fact that I was surrounded by my classmates again after a few months apart, but maybe there was more to it than that. Yeah, maybe that's all it is. This girl was just reminding me of the Hope's Peak killing game...

Miaya turned to me. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"What's the point?" I sighed. "You wouldn't understand. As edgy as it might sound to say, nobody can understand how it feels. Unless I can somehow talk to someone in another alternate universe who went through the same thing I did, there's no one who I can really talk to about all this. Nobody, in the history of this world, has shared my experiences, because there's never been anyone like Toshihide in this world before."

"I've dealt with people who were separated from their homes and families before. Your case might be special, but you aren't as alone as you think you are. If you're suffering, I can help."

"...That means a lot, Miaya. Really. I'll... think about it." I turned back to my psychology textbooks. "But right now, I think we have bigger things to worry about."

"Right. Well, I guess there's nothing for me to do but wait another eight hours for Chiaki's shift. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!"

I nodded and sighed once more as I stared at the screens. The killing game has begun. I was hoping, though it seemed impossible, that we could avoid this. Now, all I could hope for was that we could bring it to a swift end. I couldn't save Junko, but I can at least stop her from advancing her twisted goals.

* * *

"Ahem... Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... Gooooood morning, everyone! Looks like today is gonna be another perfect, tropical day! Now then, let's show some enthusiasm and make sure to give it our all today!"

One by one, each of the students slowly woke up and made their way to the dining hall. Some took longer than others, and Peko Pekoyama eventually left to get Hajime and Kazuichi, the last two who had yet to show. Everyone who was there had a plate in front of them, filled with food taken from the dishes that were there when they arrived, with varying serving sizes.

Teruteru stared down at his plate and frowned. He had of course eaten other people's food in the past, but after tasting his own and his Mama's cooking for so long, he had grown rather numb to the taste of less... powerful dishes. Still, it was food, so he choked it down.

As Hajime entered behind Peko, Byakuya regarded him. "You're late, Hajime... and where is Kazuichi? I thought you were together."

"He... ran off somewhere."

"Huh? Where?" Akane asked.

He shrugged. "Well... he pretty much said he was... running away, but..."

"Running... but where?" Mikan wondered quietly.

"There's nowhere _to _run anyway." Hiyoko said with a laugh. "What a weirdo."

"However, after what we witnessed yesterday, his behavior is understandable." Nekomaru decided.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Teruteru feigned ignorance. "Did something happen yesterday...? I don't remember anything happening. And even if I did, it looked totally fake anyway. Yep yep, not worth remembering at all."

Everyone seemed to ignore him, though. Mahiru turned to Byakuya. "So? Why have you gathered us here?"

He raised a hand. "Not yet... not until Kazuichi arrives."

"Ah, wait a sec..." Hajime realized something. "That means the reason you told us to come here is..."

"Oui! Apparently Monsieur Byakuya has something to tell us!" Ibuki explained.

"Really? What?"

"Obviously, we're here to discuss our strategy for defeatin' that monster!" Akane said.

"Th-There's no way we can fight that thing... I mean... it has heavy weapons and everything!" Mikan cowered.

"ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH A FIGHTING SPIRIT!" Nekomaru boasted.

"A bold boast... However, let me give you some advice." Gundham spoke up. "The truly strong... do not raise their voice so recklessly."

"Gundham's right." Maki agreed. "We'd be turned into Swiss cheese if we tried a head-on assault. This battle is most likely going to be a psychological one, not physical."

"Hey, hey! Let's start talking already!" Hiyoko demanded. Then under her breath said, "Hmph... This is probably some lame attempt to make us feel better or something..."

"Don't make me repeat myself..." Byakuya told her. "When everyone is here, then we can start talking."

"Aw, jeez! Fine!" Mahiru got up, shaking her head. "I'll just bring Kazuichi myself, then! Everyone wait here! I'll find him and bring him here, even if I have to tie him up!"

That last line got Teruteru's attention. "Mmhmhm... I'm a little jealous now. Getting tied up by Miss Mahiru... Maybe I should run away, too... JUST KIDDING!"

He was hoping to lighten the mood, but everyone just stared at him with blank expressions. Fuyuhiko shook his head. "Disgusting moron..."

"Now then... let's have breakfast while we wait for everyone." Byakuya decided. "Let's eat!"

He quickly began wolfing down his food. Everyone else followed suit, though not as enthusiastic. Hajime considered some of the dishes. "Um, where did that food come from, anyway?"

"When I arrived this morning, it was already here." Nagito replied.

"Ah, they even have crab and shrimp!?" Mikan realized.

"Crab and shrimp are such a pain to eat." Hiyoko huffed. "I hate them as much as I hate Mikan's ugly, stuttering face."

"M-My ugly, st-stuttering face...?"

"That's it! That's the face right there!"

"Wh-Why... are you being so mean!?"

"Heh heh heh... You're the kind of girl that bullies just _love _to torment, aren't you?"

"You should stop now." Peko threatened coldly.

"Ah, I got it!" Ibuki, still focused on the original topic, shouted. "Teruteru prepared this food, right?"

"Mmhmhm... Unfortunately, it wasn't me. You see, the food I make doesn't taste as shitty as this does."

Akane shoved another spoonful into her already full mouth. "This is bad? Tastes yummy to me."

He shrugged. "_Just _yummy... right? Compared to the world-class dishes I make, a dish that tastes yummy would still be considered shit... In fact, even comparing them is out of the question! Comparing MY dishes to this lowly peasant food, how rude!"

"H-Hey... Don't take it so personally..." Hajime eased.

Teruteru took a deep breath. "I'm just saying, if you guys ate my food, you wouldn't be able to control yourself." In fact, he couldn't wait for an opportunity to showcase his skills, just to prove his point.

"What does that mean...?" Peko asked warily.

"Well, let's just say your jaw wouldn't be the only thing that drops! In fact, your panties would drop, too! Like the black thong Miss Peko is wearing, for example!"

"You creep! How do you know about that!?" Peko reached for her sword.

Before any violence could commence, Sonia brought them back to the original point. ""However, if Teruteru did not prepare this food, then the one who did is..."

"Could it have been Monokuma!?" Ibuki asked.

Hajime looked down at his plate. "...Is it safe to eat food cooked by something like that?"

"That's why I'm tasting it for poison," Byakuya assured him. "to make sure it's safe for consumption."

"I mean, as long as the teddy doesn't break any health code violations, it should be safe to eat." Maki decided, popping some shrimp in her mouth.

"Okay, thanks for waiting!" Mahiru said as she entered. "I brought him!" Sure enough, dragged along behind her was the Ultimate Mechanic. "Hey, straighten up a little more! Shouldn't a man like you be embarrassed to walk like that?"

"St-Stop... don't pull... You're gonna rip my sleeves..." He whined, peeking at her from under his beanie.

"Kyahaha! Even though you look all flashy, you're actually a big coward!" Hiyoko laughed. "Are you gonna be okaaaay? People like you are usually the first victims, you know?"

"I-I just wanna go home alreadyyyyyyy!" He shouted, causing several students to jump back. And one such student took a nasty spill.

"AAAAAAH!"

"What the...!?" Hajime, as well as everyone else, turned toward the source of the scream.

"Ohhh... no no no no no!" Mikan begged, her legs tangled up over her head in wiring, allowing the rest of her peers to see up her skirt. "I-I-I tripped!"

"C-Can you even call that tripping?" Hajime asked.

"How in the world did you end up in such a... compromising position after tripping!?" Byakuya asked.

"Well, it certainly makes me happy!" Teruteru took the time to absorb as many details he could. "I'm veeeeery happy right now!"

"Noooooooo! I'm so embarrassed! P-Please help me!"

"Awwwwww! She looks so adorable when she's embarrassed!" Ibuki teased. "It's sooooo moe, I'm practically snorting with joy!"

"W-We should help her up!" Mahiru decided a few seconds too late.

"I'll lend a hand, if it'll put an end to the weeb humour." Maki sighed, stepping forward. She took a second to flip the Nurse's skirt up to at least preserve some of her modesty. After a few seconds, the two girls were able to get Mikan's feet through the loop in the cables, and they brought her to her feet.

"M-Mikan... are you okay?" Nagito asked.

"Ugh... My head is throbbing a little, but I'm okay..." She assured him. Maki hesitantly raised a hand to check her head.

"She's beyond being just a clumsy girl. That fall of hers was like a magic trick or something..." Mahiru remarked.

"Anyway... everybody's here now, right?" Chiaki noted. "Then let's get going... Since... I'm getting sleepy."

"You're right... Though I am not quite ready to stop eating breakfast, I should begin my talk." Byakuya agreed. "First, I have a question for you all. That Monokuma thing ordered us to kill each other... So under these strange circumstances, what do you think we need right now?"

"Tch, who the fuck knows? Get to the point already." Fuyuhiko demanded.

"If you want me to get to the point, you better hurry up and answer my question."

"What do we need?" Akane repeated. "We need food and sleep, obviously. Right?"

"No... you've forgotten about shitting..." Nekomaru pointed out. "Which means the answers are: a good appetite, a good night's sleep, and a good shit!"

Byakuya stared at them a moment before scanning the rest of the group. "...Does anyone have a real answer?"

"Could it be... a bond?" Nagito offered.

"Bond...?" Hajime repeated.

"This is what I believe... As long as the Ultimates work together, there's nothing we can't accomplish... You'll all be able to create a hope that can overcome an despair. That's why... if we want to escape this island, we need to promise each other that we'll work together!"

"Wow, he said that with a straight face!" Hiyoko chuckled. "How is he not embarrassed?"

Nagito turned to the ground sheepishly. "Ah... just as I figured. That was kinda lame, huh?"

"However, he does have a point." Peko said. "That must be why Monokuma is enforcing a rule that will cause us to be suspicious of each other."

"I see... That was a pretty good answer." Byakuya gave. "Since it's impossible to face our enemy as individuals under these circumstances, we must fight as a group... However, what we need to achieve that solidarity is not something as easygoing and optimistic as a... "bond"."

"Then... what?"

"What we need right now is a disciplined leadership, provided by an unmistakable leader!"

"I see... Even sports teams need captains, after all..." Nekomaru agreed.

"Rejoice. I shall accept the position." Byakuya decided.

"...Huh?" Hajime asked.

"Now then, I'll wrap up this introduction, and move on to the main question."

"Wait just a second!" Mahiru cut in.

"...What is it?"

"Wh-What did you just say...? I don't care how you excuse it, you're being too forceful! Deciding to be the leader all on your own... and why does it have to be you, anyway!?"

"Who is more fit to lead other than me? I am the Ultimate Affluent Progeny of the Togami household, destined to stand above all others."

"S-Seriously! I'm telling you that attitude of yours is too forceful!"

"...Mahiru, please wait." Nagito begged. "It's true that Byakuya may be a little forceful, but given our current situation... I believe it's a leader's duty, under circumstances like this, to be forceful to a certain degree..."

"That may be true, but... if we just need someone who can lead people, then even Sonia can..."

"No, perish the thought. I'm merely a figurehead." The Princess admitted.

"Well... he must have the qualities of a leader if he can accept the role under these circumstances." Nagito insisted.

"If everyone's okay with it... I'm okay with it, too..." Mahiru gave. Nobody else raised an objection.

"Then, I guess we've made our decision..." Byakuya decided. "Don't worry, as long as I'm the leader, I won't let anyone become a victim. I will guide you all! That much, I promise."

"Kyaaaa!" Ibuki squeed. "Soooo reliable!"

"Now then, let's move on to the topic at hand, for real this time... I have something to show you all."

"...Something to show us?" Hajime asked.

"It's at Jabberwock Park at the central island... Come, follow me!" With heavy footfalls, the Affluent Progeny left the room.

"J-Just as I thought... he sure is forceful..."

"Jeez... we may have made a mistake in choosing him as our leader..." Mahiru groaned.

One by one, everyone finished up with their breakfast and made their way to follow him.

* * *

The Imposter stared up at what was a statue just yesterday. He was doing his best to be patient, and it only took Hajime, the last in the group, a few minutes before he arrived. Still, he let a bit of his impatience show. "...For skinny people, you're awfully slow."

"It seems... you are just too fast for us." Sonia said, still a little out of breath.

"J-Jeez... I never expected a fatso like him to move so fast..." Kazuichi remarked. The Imposter rolled his eyes.

"So... what's supposed to be here?" Akane asked.

""Here...?" Really...? Hmph... If you haven't noticed it yet... then I was right to dismiss you all as idiots."

Everyone turned to where the statue was yesterday, but now, there was some sort of machine. It was a giant orb, with smaller orbs on top, like the head of a teddy bear. On the front, there was a timer counting down the seconds.

"I looks like a clock, but... something seems off..." Hajime said. "It's... counting down...!"

"Was this here when we came last time?" Mahiru asked.

"No... I'm pretty sure it wasn't!" Nekomaru answered.

"I found it this morning... when I was exploring the island one more time." The Imposter explained. "It's unknown... when it was actually placed here..."

"Monokuma must have placed this object..." Peko decided. "...What does this countdown even mean?"

"Hmm... I have no clue." Ibuki said.

"Mmhmhm, once again, something has appeared that I don't understand..." Teruteru muttered. "But it's got nothing to do with me. Because I refuse to believe this is happening."

"Could it be...? It better not be a bomb!" Nekomaru jumped.

"A b-b-b-b-bommmmmmmb!?" Kazuichi shrieked.

"If they wanted to blow up the island, they would have done so by now." The Imposter pointed out. "There's no need for a countdown..."

"Then... what are they counting down?" Mikan asked.

"It's a mystery..." Akane said.

"...A mysterious mystery, isn't it!?" Monomi asked.

"Kyah!" Sonia jumped back.

"Kyaaaah!" Monomi screamed in response.

"M-Monomi!?" Hajime asked.

"Wh-Why are you here!?" Mahiru asked.

"I heard everyone talking while I was patrolling, so I came over..."

"No, not that... Didn't Monokuma kill you?" Ibuki asked.

"Ah, so that's why you were surprised? Pfft, hehehe! You don't have to worry about that! After all, I can never die!"

"I see..." Gundham started examining her. "You must be an undead abomination, risen from the foulest depths of the Netherworld by black magic..." He gasped as he came to a realization. "Do you want me to make you my thrall!?"

"Monomi's a mechanical stuffed animal, right?" Chiaki said. "Doesn't that mean she can't die in the first place?"

"Now that you mention it... she'd only need, like, a spare or something." Kazuichi said.

""A spare"... What a mean thing to say!" Monomi scolded.

The Imposter raised a hand. "However, you have arrived at the perfect time. There's something I wanted to ask you. What is the meaning behind this timer and this countdown? Answer me..."

"Huh? Countdown...?" Her eyes followed the gaze of the students up to the device. "Ha-wa-wa! What is this!?...U-Um... I'm sorry... I... don't know what this is..."

"You really don't know...?" Peko asked.

"I-I'm sorry... I don't really have a grasp of what Monokuma is up to..."

"You don't know, even though you're Monokuma's little sister." Hiyoko pointed out.

"I'm not my brother's little sister! A-Anyway... let's all do our best! Let's kick the evil Monokuma off this island!"

"If you don't know what the countdown is for, you're useless to us. Get lost." The Imposter told her. He was starting get annoyed by the fact that she couldn't answer _any_ of their questions, by choice or otherwise.

"Um... Let's... together..."

"I said get lost...!" He snapped.

"Kyaaa! I-I'm sorry!" With that, the stuffed rabbit disappeared from the students' sights.

"Um... Perhaps you are being a little too harsh?" Sonia suggested. "I am starting to feel sorry for it..."

"Miss Sonia! May I call you Miss Sonia!? No, I insist on calling you that! There's no need to feel sorry for that thing. She's obviously working with Monokuma." Kazuichi said rather quickly.

"Who the fuck cares about that stuffed animal...?" Fuyuhiko asked. "More importantly, what the hell is that clock?"

"Looks ominous, doesn't it...?" The Imposter asked. "Who put that object here, and how did they do it in just one night?"

"Hmm... I can't imagine..." Hajime muttered.

"Which means it doesn't make any sense!" Teruteru insisted. "Also, it's deadly!"

"However, that's not all that's unimaginable..." The Imposter continued. "This island is full of mysteries that we can't begin to imagine... For example... how were the seventeen of us brought to this island...?"

"I wasn't trying to think about that since it's been bugging me too, but... he's right." Kazuichi admitted. "That _is _a mystery..."

"There's more... Why is Jabberwock Island, which was known for being a popular resort destination, now an uninhabited island? There is no sign of tourists or even citizens on this island... Is something like that even possible?"

"All civilizations are destined to collapse..." Gundham pointed out. "Nothing begets existence... and existence begets nothing..."

"So it... collapsed?" Mikan gasped.

Sonia nodded. "Society is much like fruit. Once it matures, it is inevitable that it will eventually rot. As the economy grows, the private sector stagnates as elders and bureaucrats become more and more powerful... As time passes, this power becomes the status quo, and crushes the seeds of any possible reformation... Such a sad trend."

Maki cleared her throat. "Uh, yeah, not that I'm not enjoying this amazingly depressing talk of societal collapse, but I'm pretty sure it would take a while for that to happen, and at least one of us would've heard something on the news about it. Obviously, something different is going on..."

"Maybe... the Monobeasts killed everyone on this island?" Hiyoko suggested.

"And that's how it became uninhabited!?" Nekomaru asked.

"That's a possibility, but... we don't know that for sure." The Imposter said. "This mystery remains a mystery, it seems."

"Grrrrrr...!" Ibuki growled. "It's like everything here is just full of mysteries!"

"You're right... It's just mysteries on top of mysteries... However, since these mysteries are overlapping with one another, I doubt some no-name group is behind this..."

"Wh-What are you trying to say...?" Hajime asked.

"I mean... this situation we're in is undeniably the work of some enormous organization."

"...Enormous organization?" Mikan repeated.

"That does seem to fit what little we've been able to see." Maki admitted. "I'd say, maximum, this is the work of two big groups. Either way, they would require a lot of numbers to put a project like this into action."

"Monomi, Monokuma, the Monobeasts... They're all machines that require major technical skills to operate." The Imposter continued.

"Plus, they'd need a ton of funding." Kazuichi agreed. "And there's no way those things were made just for the hell of it..."

"That organization might be controlling these machines and monitoring the island with those cameras..."

"Could those fiends be hiding on this island?" Peko wondered.

"Not likely. They're probably running this from somewhere else. Somewhere safe."

"Where would that be...?" Nekomaru wondered.

"I don't know... Anyway, there's no mistake that an enormous organization is behind all this."

"I see, a big organization, huh..." Akane repeated. "I can't imagine what kinda people they could be..."

"Well, let's see..." The Imposter took a moment to estimate the scale. "There's my Togami Corporation... Sonia's Novoselic Kingdom... and the Kuzuryu Clan... It would definitely have to be an organization as powerful as one of those groups, if not more so."

"Huh!?" Sonia gasped.

"I'm used to being mistrusted..." Fuyuhiko muttered. "Do what you will..."

"Hold on!" Kazuichi shot up into the Imposter's face. "I don't care about you or the Kuzuryu Clan, but I won't allow you to doubt Miss Sonia! Miss Sonia is a hot blonde princess! There's a sharp distinction between her and you punks!"

"Yeah, yeah... Just shut up already, loser..." Hiyoko told him.

"L-Loser!? Are you talking about me!?"

"It's obvious from your flashy clothes that you just wanna stand out because you're actually a loser. Hehe... It must be hard to make your living in the Lame-Ass-Loser Industry."

"Too far, dude! That's going way too far!"

"Hey, Byakuya... Were you serious just now?" Hajime asked. "About this being related to your family and Sonia's and such...?"

"I'm just using them as an example." He clarified. "I'm not saying they have anything to do with this."

"But... you're certain that we're up against a huge organization, right?"

"Even if such an organization exists... Why would they make us go through something like this?" Peko asked.

"Whatever." Teruteru cut in. "How long are we gonna keep talking about this? Why don't we talk about something more realistic?"

"Our enemy's purpose is still unknown..." The Imposter said. "As long as we find out who's behind this, we'll learn their purpose. So what we must do now is find out who our enemy is. If we do that, we'll be that much closer to a breakthrough. Luckily, according to the e-Handbook, we are free to explore this island... There will definitely be a clue about the enemy on this island somewhere. Let's start looking."

"All right! Let's get this crap done!" Akane decided. "...Uh, what're we looking for?"

"...Akane, were you even listening?" Mahiru asked. "We need to find clues that will tell us who our enemy is."

"No problem..." Gundham assured them. "No matter how large this organization may be, they will not be able to stand against us... They are destined to fall and turn to ash at the might of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction!" His Devas climbed out of his scarf and up his arms to emphasize his point.

"Wow!" Sonia marvelled. "Hamsters came out of your scarf! Tee-hee! They are so adorable!"

"Adorable... you say...?... Th-Thank you."

"You're pretty happy about that, huh?" Ibuki teased.

"Look at that guy talking to Miss Sonia so casually..." Kazuichi grumbled. "I'm definitely gonna beat the crap out of him later..."

"...Anyway, let me just say this." The Imposter started, gaining everyone's attention again. "There's no time to think about something as foolish as killing each other. You must do what you have to do. Observe, speculate, recognize, comprehend. Even if it seems impossible... just persevere. But most importantly, follow my lead. I'll make sure to return you all to your normal lives. This is your leader's orders. Understand?" For some added dramatic flair, he raised his hand and pointed at the group.

"Uhaha! That's, like, TOTALLY awesome!" Ibuki cheered.

"That right hand of his is soooo plump!" Hiyoko laughed. "I've got the perfect nickname for him: Ham Hands!"

"H-Ham Hands... you say...?" Hearing it stirred a feeling deep inside him. It was an emotion he wasn't sure he ever felt before. "Hmph... I never thought I'd see the day when someone called me something like that..."

Hajime stared at him. "...Huh? Why aren't you getting mad?"

"Why would I get mad at something as petty as that...? She observed me directly and thought up a nickname. There's nothing dishonest about a name like that... Perhaps... I've always yearned for this. Though it may seem ironic for me to realize that in this particular situation..." He realized everyone was listening to his ramblings. "Don't worry about it. I was talking to myself just now."

"I-I see..."

"All right then." Nagito said. "We should listen to Byakuya and not waste our energy thinking about pointless things! It's true that we're not in the best situation, but it's also not the worst. Because we're not alone. We have friends we can count on to support each other."

"Seriously? That sounds so lame!" Hiyoko groaned.

"Ahaha, I knew it. I was thinking to myself just how lame I sounded for saying that."

Maki examined the group before turning to the Imposter. "So, fearless leader, what do we do now?"

He considered the options before them. He addressed the group once more. "For now, you are all dismissed. Just be sure to keep an eye out, both for the sake of caution, and in case you come across any important clues."

He watched them all as they walked off, spreading out in their own directions. He turned back to view the timer. It's just mysteries on top of mysteries.

* * *

**Speaking of profiling, I wonder what everyone's initial impressions of Maki are. At the very least, I do wonder how many readers are on the right track in guessing her origins. Obviously, this early on, it would take a really lucky guess to figure it out, but as we go on the picture might get clearer. Who knows, maybe you can figure it out before Albert does. Of course, I can't confirm or deny if you get it right, but theories are always welcome, whether they're a joke or not.**

**In the next chapter, we'll have free time, and we'll get to see Maki interact with her fellow students some more. **


	4. Chapter 3

**In this chapter, Maki spends time with some of her fellow students, and Monokuma reveals a motive. Yeah, that's about it.**

**In case you missed it, I set up a poll on my profile. I say this now since I'm thinking about changing it sometime in October. Again, the polls are just for fun, they aren't going to affect my stories or anything. I just like being able to connect with my readers, even if very indirectly.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**The Killing ****Joke**

Maki walked around the massive timer, eyeing every inch of it as well as the statue base it was built upon. She couldn't find any unusual markings or anything of the sort. Not that she was expecting to, anyway. Still, it was impressive how uniform the textures were across the entire surface of the objects.

"Maki, I see you were thinking the same way as I." Byakuya noted. "This area is definitely the most suspicious, isn't it?"

"That it is." She agreed. She ran her hand along the base. "I'll have to ask Kazuichi how hard it would be to set up something like this. I know he's not a construction worker, but he's the closest we got for mechanical questions like that." She pulled a small notepad out of her lab coat and took a note.

"All in one night, at that." He added. "Even if it were built elsewhere and simply erected here, where would they put the crane afterward? And it's not as if there's a curfew, we have free reign of this area, so how would they ensure that none of us just waltzed over and saw them setting it up?"

Maki smirked. "It's almost as if it just appeared out of thin air."

The boy shook his head. "Teleportation, really? And here I thought you would be taking this a bit more seriously. It appears I've overestimated you."

"No, you're right." She chuckled. "Things like teleportation, time travel, and dimension hopping only exist in the realm of sci-fi. They have no business in our everyday world. A more likely explanation would be something like..." She slowly stepped away from the statue and started tapping the stone path with her shoes. "Perhaps this ground is actually hollow, and there's some massive machine just below us. All the mastermind would have to do is flip a switch, and it would swap that Jabberwock statue for this timer."

"That certainly sounds much more plausible. The question from there is, how much power would such a machine require?"

"I dunno, but our rooms have lighting and television, so wherever this island is getting it's power from, it's gotta be efficient."

"Good point." The boy rubbed his plump chin for a moment before meeting her eye. "Maki, tell me, what is your initial impressions of everyone so far? Your talent involves being able to read people, does it not?"

"Well, kinda. Psychology is a really major part of criminology, so I do know a bit about reading minds, so to speak. I'm not poker player, but I can definitely get a handle on someone's psyche, if that's what you want."

"I'm listening."

"Right... Well, Fuyuhiko's got my interest, simply because his talent connects him to a criminal organization. At the moment, though, I don't have a good read on him, given his standoffish nature. Peko seems stoic, but I wouldn't put it past her to commit a murder if push comes to shove. Kazuichi, Mikan, and Teruteru seem to be weak, mentally speaking, so I doubt they'd be able to endure harsh or stressful conditions for extended periods of time, and might be pushed to murder if they snap. Nagito seems to mean well, but in my experiences, people like him would quickly betray you if it serves their needs. That's about it for the criminal side."

"Hmm... It wouldn't be right to do anything with that yet. After all, you can't arrest someone because they _could _commit a crime. But I will keep an eye on them, just in case. What about the others? Anything to say about them?"

"Well, Mahiru seems nice, if a bit rough. If you need help keeping an eye on everyone, she's probably good with that, being a photographer and all. I'd say Hiyoko is sadistic and self-absorbed, so she might not be the best at the whole teamwork thing. Ibuki is a little hyper, but I think she'll be good to have around for morale purposes. Gundham is quiet, don't quite have him down yet. Nekomaru seems like the gentle giant type. He might be good to have for both morale, and any muscle work we need. Chiaki might not seem attentive, but the reflexes and mental prowess required to play some difficult games might make her a little more useful than she might seem. Akane seems pretty dumb, and I'm pretty sure it's not an act, either. Still, like with Nekomaru, it's good to have some muscle around. Sonia claims to be a figurehead, which might mean she's not a good leader, but she might also be able to help with morale. And finally, there's Hajime. He doesn't seem to stand out in any real way, so I can't gauge his talent, either. Overall, though, I wouldn't say he's dangerous."

"I'll keep all that in mind." He told her. "Do you think you could help me keep tabs on those you listed as possibly dangerous? I don't need you to spy on them, but if one of them starts to lose their head, I'd like to be able to take measures."

"If those are my leader's orders, then I guess I've got no choice."

"Hmph. Well, this isn't a dictatorship. But I'll take that as a yes." The two of them began walking, surveying the area for any clues. "You know, I think you may have a mind for tactics. At the very least, you're good figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of those around you."

She brushed him off. "Oh, none of my observations were anything special. I mean, it's really easy when it comes to Ultimates. All you have to do is consider whether or not a skill is related to their talent or not, and that'll tell you whether or not it's a good fit for them."

"Well, from what I've seen, sometimes that can be quite selective. For example, if I didn't know she was the Ultimate Nurse, I would doubt Mikan would have the proper hand-eye coordination necessary to stitch wounds."

"Good point. Sometimes, people can surprise you." She admitted. "Well, anyways, I don't think we'll get bored on this island. Between all the facilities we have access to, and the fact that we're going to be looking for clues most of the time, I think we have our hands full."

"Indeed. Speaking of, I'll be heading back to the hotel for now. For all we know, the answer may be right under our noses, in a sense."

"Sounds good. I'll check around this park some more. There's also those little mountains with Monokuma's face on them, I might look around there."

"In that case, I'll see you later, Maki." The boy turned and began walking away from the park.

"Yeah, seeya." She briefly wondered just how suspicious he was of her. He seemed perceptive. But she doubted he would be able to figure out the truth about her so quickly.

As the sea breeze washed over her, she took a deep breath and continued on with her work.

* * *

Despite the sheer size of each island, there were only a few facilities available. Locations like the airport and ranch took up a lot of space, but the smaller areas such as the beach or even the hotel grounds were spread further away. So, when getting from point A to point B, it usually involved a few minutes of quiet travel time along the road.

These were the idle observations going through Kazuichi's mind as he made his way back from the market. He had never heard of any "Rocketpunch" supermarket chain, but then again, he never really went anywhere besides the supermarket near his old man's bike shop, so it was possible it just passed his notice. Still, the fact remained that the market on this island contained nothing he could use to get out of here.

Doing his best to shake that thought from his mind, he looked at his surroundings. He had passed the beach a little while ago, and could see the ranch coming up in the distance. _Damn, _He thought. _I took the long way around, didn't I?_

He pulled out his e-Handbook to check the map. Sure enough, he spent the last twenty minutes walking around the island when it would have taken him five just to walk straight from the market to the hotel. _Well, too late to turn back now._

As he turned the e-Handbook off, he felt a hand grip his shoulder from behind. His heart-rate spiked. He jumped away, turning toward the source, screaming and raising his arms defensively. "AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"Okay, I'll admit, not my smartest move." Maki said, backing away, her hands raised in a nonthreatening manner.

"A-Are you trying to kill me!?" He asked.

"No, wasn't planning on it. Trust me, if I was, you wouldn't see it coming."

"No, I mean... Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?"

"Oh. Well, no, I wasn't planning on that, either. I was just crossing the bridge over there and saw you. Figured I'd come and say hello."

"Okay... Well, some advice, you could try and announce yourself next time."

"I'll keep that in mind, Soda Pop."

"I thought I told you not to..." He shook his head, giving up. She was clearly the kind of person you couldn't argue with, or you'd end up going in circles. Now that he was done hyperventilating, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "And here I thought I was doing pretty good for a while there."

"Pretty good?" She repeated with a smirk. "After this morning, when Mahiru had to drag you to breakfast?"

"Okay, well, obviously that didn't look very cool. But can you blame me? We don't know any of these people. What if one of them snaps and tries to kill me? Or what if that Monokuma guy loses interest in this game and just sics those monsters on us? What then?"

"Those are pretty valid concerns. I wouldn't worry about Monokuma, though. I've analysed psychopaths like him. When they have a way they like doing things, they'll hardly ever stray from that method."

"Oh, that's a relief." He deadpanned. "Now I only have to worry about one of my classmates killing me."

"Touche. I can't really disprove that any of them might do something. Still, there's a fine line between being cautious and being paranoid. Trust me, I know paranoid."

The mechanic eyed her up and down. Her composure was rather casual. "Yeah well, doesn't look like it. You seem strangely calm right now."

"Well, obviously. We're out in the open, and you're the only person I can see here. And I know you can't kill me."

"Uh, thanks. But isn't it a little early to be so trusting of each other?"

She laughed. "Oh, Kazuichi..." She stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder, staring him down with her pink and blue eyes. "If you even _tried _to kill me, I would _destroy _you."

His blood ran cold at her piercing gaze. The fact that they were alone became the most prominent though in his mind. A few seconds passed before she backed up, smacking him on the forehead. "...Psyche! I'm just messing around. Don't take me so seriously."

"...Oh. Ah... Hahaha..." He tried to force the laughter, but it sounded very weak, so he stopped.

Maki didn't seem to notice, however, and turned to walk down the road toward the hotel. After a few steps, she paused, took out a notepad, and turned back to the boy. "Say, I've got some questions relating to engineering. You think you could answer some of them?"

He sighed. "Y-Yeah, sure. I guess so."

He shakily followed after her, and did his best to answer each of her questions.

* * *

As the sun set in the distance, Monokuma made yet another announcement calling everyone to Jabberwock Park. With varying levels of caution and annoyance, the students were forced to obey his command, and slowly made their way to the park. As Nagito arrived, he was greeted with a small stage set up in front of the grand timer, much to his and every other student's confusion. As usual, Hajime was the last to arrive.

"Once again, you're late..." Byakuya scolded. "Did you lose your nerve?... Anyway, it seems everyone is here."

"Ugh, what is it this time...?" Kazuichi asked. "So friggin' annoying..."

"Then you shouldn't have come." Fuyuhiko told him.

"Well... I mean... I don't know what'll happen to me if I _don't _come..."

"Heh, since none of us know what'll happen, maybe you should be the one to test that out."

"Hey!" Mahiru stepped forward. "You may talk like your tough, wiseguy, but you wouldn't be here unless you were scared, too!"

"What...!?"

"I guess even a big bad yakuza like you must've been scared of that monster, huh?"

"What the fuck did you just say!?"

"S-Stop it, you two." Nagito made his way between them. "Fighting among friends isn't good!"

"What? Did you just say, "friend"?" Fuyuhiko asked. Oh, perhaps that was the wrong word. "I'm not your friend, dumbass! When did I ever become friends with you bastards? Hmph, let me be perfectly clear... I can do it, y'know."

"...Huh?" Several students backed away from him in fear.

"Y-You... What did you just say...?" Mahiru asked.

"Oh? You didn't hear me? Then I'll repeat myself just once for you. I said... I can do it."

"Hey, Fuyuhiko..." Hajime inched forward. "Why don't you calm down for a bit?"

"Don't talk to me like we're friends or something! I live in a completely different world than you bastards... Kill or be killed... That's the kind of world I live in. Heh, the current rules make more sense to me than that "Play nice and get along" crap."

"If you don't stop it right now... I'm going to get seriously angry!" Mahiru threatened.

"Don't treat me like a kid, bitch!"

To the surprise of many, Peko moved to quell the argument. "Just stop already... This kind of fighting will not get us anywhere."

"Shut the hell up!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "There's no way I'm dealing with this Kumbaya crap! If any of you guys wanna die, step forward... I'll fuckin' kill you right now..."

"Sounds fun... Gimme your best shot...!" Akane happily stepped up.

"Wh-What's gonna happen if you're this easily provoked!?" Hajime asked, stopping her.

"Heh, leave it to the yakuza to piss everyone off." Maki remarked.

"Enough!" Byakuya stomped his foot, and everyone quieted down. Nagito smiled. Only a true leader would be able to capture everyone's attention so thoroughly. "Fuyuhiko... I understand what you're saying. I do not intend to dismiss your feelings. There was a time when I also thought the same way as you..."

"...Are you treating me like a kid, too!?"

"But what would reckless killing accomplish? If you fail to get away with it, you know you'll be executed... Or perhaps... that's what you really want? If so... You'd only be killing yourself to run away from this predicament. That's what a child would do."

"Wh-What did you say...!?"

"Listen!" Byakuya turned to address the group. "So long as we're here, I will not let any of you die! I will not let any of you become a victim! And that goes for you, too, Fuyuhiko. I won't let you die!"

"Wh-What the hell...? Everything you're saying... it's just empty promises!"

"It's true my words would ring hollow if anyone else spoke them... But I am Byakuya Togami, and I am destined to bring these promises to fruition."

"Yowza! He's sooooo cool!" Ibuki squeed.

"Mmhmhm, I agree!" Teruteru marveled. Nagito had to agree with them, as well.

"Heh... I don't care what you say. I'm just gonna do whatever I feel like..."

"Do what you will." Byakuya accepted. "However, remember what I said earlier. "I will not let any of you become a victim." That is the duty I have appointed to myself."

"Tch...!"

Several students sighed in relief as it seemed the conflict was resolved. Nagito took a second to wonder how well Byakuya would operate when his promise was challenged.

Then Monokuma showed up, wearing a suit. Everyone freaked out once again. "Um... It looked like you guys were arguing... so I wasn't sure when to actually show up... It looks like I showed up as an awkward time!"

"...Why... are you dressed like that?" Chiaki asked.

"Oh, didn't I mention it in my recent broadcast? It's my costume for the fun time!"

Peko's eyes widened. "Oh, don't tell me you're going to..."

"That's right! Since we're on a tropical island, I'm here to do my two-man comedy routine!"

"Wh-Why does it matter that we're on a tropical island?" Mikan asked.

"But can you do a two-man comedy routine all by yourself?" Sonia wondered.

"Of course not. That's why I brought my partner." He gestured to his side, where Monomi suddenly appeared, wearing a cute pink dress.

"Ha-wa-wa! What is this!?"

"Hmm, that figures..." Nekomaru said.

"Now then, without further ado, I'm pleased to present "Monokuma's Side-Splitting Live Two-Man Comedy Show"!"

"Huh? I didn't hear anything about this! Are you telling me I have to improvise!?"

"...I'm speechless." Gundham said. Everyone took this as a bad sign.

With that, both stuffed animals went up to the stage and stood behind the microphone.

"Hellooooooooooo, I'm Monokuma!"

"Um... I'm Monomi...!"

"And together we are The Monokumas!" They announced in unison.

"Now, I know it's sudden, but I guess I should show you guys my amazing mind-reading abilities!" Monokuma decided.

"Eh? You can read minds!?"

"As practice, I'll guess your favourite food. Hmmm... Your favourite food is..."

"You can do it! It's obvious what rabbits like!"

"Ca..."

"That's right."

"...davers!"

"I'd never eat a dead body!" Her voice was drowned out, however, by the sound of a laugh track coming from the speakers.

Maki groaned. "Well, I'll give him this: My urge to kill is definitely increasing."

"Now then... Monomi's up next! C'mon, do a short skit or something!"

"Wh-What!? There's no way I can do that!"

"No worries, it's all good. I know a technique to summon the God of Comedy. Sooooo... which do you think is better? Taking blood while you're still alive, or after you're already dead?"

"Why would you ask such a cruel question!?"

"If I'm gonna summon the Comedeity, then I'll need a lot of blood."

"So a god of comedy wants blood..."

"Hngh! Pretty please!?"

"No matter how charmingly you ask, there's no way I'll let you take my blood!"

"You're always so quick to make a scary face, Monomi. You guys better be careful, too. Ya know, since Monomi's actually a bad guy... She's as bad as the first villain the hero fights in a teen manga!"

"They're always the underdog!"

"Believe me, it's a fact that Monomi's a villain. I'll let you all in on a little secret of hers... Monomi... went out of her way to erase your memories!"

"Say what!?" The laugh track played once again, but it was clear from Monokuma's tone and Monomi's reaction that he wasn't joking. "...Wait, huh?"

"You guys don't even remember how you got to this island, am I right? Well, that's because Monomi stole your memories!"

"Wh-What are you saying all of a sudden!?"

"But wait, there's more! She didn't just steal your boring memories, like how you guys got to this island. She completely took away your memories of the years you spent at Hope's Peak Academy! What a shocker!"

"...Ha-wa-wa!"

"Phew... I feel great now that I've shared that with you. Seriously, memory loss plots are so old hat nowadays, like those dumb self-insert isekai stories... Only a total hack would wait until the end of the story to reveal a cliched twist like that!"

"P-Please stop!"

"Puhuhu... Wasn't that a huge surprise? In truth, you guys aren't freshmen students at all. You guys just thought you were because you've lost all your school memories! Quick, someone get a plagiarist because I feel like I've heard this story before!"

As the laugh track played once more, Monomi cried out, "S-Seriously, this is bad in so many ways!"

"I'm through dealing with you!" Monokuma growled, spinning and colliding his open paw right into her face.

"GYAAAAAAH! His backhand is far too powerful!"

The students all stared, unsure if they heard him right. Eventually, Nagito spoke up. "...Wh-What did he mean?"

"Memories... stolen...?" Maki muttered. "So, Hajime isn't the only one."

"How was it?" Monokuma asked, stepping off the stage and removing his suit. "Was it funny? Or was the comedy too high-brow for you?"

"Hey... What were you saying just now?" Byakuya asked.

"What was I saying just now... Oh, you mean when I said that your school memories were completely stolen?"

"Aha... hahaha... There's no way..." Ibuki forced herself to laugh. "Cause... I just entered Hope's Peak Academy, and then I was brought to this island... right away..."

"That's because that's how you remember it. All thanks to Monomi stealing your school memories..."

"Wh-What are you saying!? That's impossible!" Hajime argued.

"Man... how many years has it been since you guys first entered Hope's Peak Academy...? I wonder what happened to your friends and family? They're probably worried sick about you... Maybe?"

"Our school memories were stolen!? That's ridiculous!" Nekomaru insisted.

"That's right! There's no way I have memory loss!" Kazuichi agreed.

"D-Don't... don't listen to what he says..." Monomi begged them, recovering from the earlier attack and removing her dress.

"Blub-blub-blub-blub... Limit breached..." Ibuki whimpered.

"I refuse to believe such a thing." Teruteru decided. "Yep, everything's okay... I don't believe it..."

"Y-You're lying, right...?" Mikan asked. "Stealing our memories... that's a lie, right? You're just trying to make fools out of us, right...?"

"Nope, it's not a lie." Monokuma said, laughing to himself. "If it was a lie... then how do you explain this? The moment you arrived at Hope's Peak Academy, you all experienced a strange dizziness..."

"Wha-!?" Hajime jumped. "H-How... do you know that?"

"Puhuhu... Why, that was the cut-off point. Your memories beyond that point have been completely removed."

"Wh-What the hell...!?"

"So... a long time has passed... since then...?" Mikan asked.

"I-Impossible! There's no way!" Nekomaru argued.

"On the contrary... why is it impossible?"

Nagito shook his head. "Whether or not it's possible... there's no way we can believe it." Even given how unbelievable the rest of the situation was, they just couldn't adjust so quickly to the ridiculousness.

"You just don't want to believe it, right? But don't worry... I'm a generous guy! I can give you back your memories!"

"...Huh!?" Monomi jumped.

"However... there's a catch."

Chiaki held her breath. "Don't tell me the catch is..."

"Puhuhu... figured it out yet? That's right, you guys have to kill each other! That's my bargaining point!"

"Ha-wa-wa!"

"You guys wanna know, right? You want your school memories returned to you, right? Then you better start killing! A penny for your thoughts, and a murder for your memories!"

"Hey... Stop runnin' your mouth." Akane demanded.

"My, my... why so angry? I'm just providing you all a motive from the bottom of my big, generous heart! Otherwise, you cowards wouldn't get any killing done! Well, that's not your fault. Humans are natural born cowards. They even cry after their mom squeezes 'em out. That's why I'm giving you a motive. Think of it as an excuse to commit your future crimes."

"S-Stop this at once...!" Byakuya demanded. "Do you really think your delusional rambling will convince us to commit murder...?" It seemed Nagito would get an answer to his earlier question on how well Byakuya would respond to having his promises challenged.

"I don't even believe that memory loss crap in the first place!" Mahiru insisted.

"But more than that, what you guys really don't believe is each other, right?"

"Wh-What do you mean...!?"

"You guys don't know each other. Which means... None of you realize that a traitor is hiding among you, right?"

"Huh...?"

"Hey, why are there seventeen of you?" The bear asked rhetorically. "If Hope's Peak classes are supposed to be comprised of exactly sixteen students... That's right! There's probably a traitor I don't even know about hiding among your group!... Just kidding."

"Wh-What are you saying..." Fuyuhiko asked. "All this shit about traitors doesn't make any sense!"

"...It's obviously nonsense." Peko decided.

"For real, you guys... How can you be so sure? You guys don't know anything about each other. You don't know each other's true natures. That's why, if one of you is planning to kill someone, it's impossible for any of you to know. Even so... if there really is a traitor, isn't that gosh darn awful? Pretending to be your ally and tricking you guys... It makes sense for someone like that to get killed, right? C'mon, make the preemptive strike! It's first come, first served and the winner takes all! If you want to survive, you gotta find that person before they find you... Aaaaahahahahaha!" With that, he disappeared, his laughter echoing across the park. Everyone exchanged fear-fueled glances.

"Is it true...?" Mikan asked. "Is there really a traitor among us...? Ah! It's not me by the way! I know I may look suspicious but... it's not me!"

"Who is it!?" Nekomaru shouted. "Hurry up and show yourself! You're only making things worse for you by staying silent!"

"...Just stop. There's no way there's a traitor." Byakuya decided. "There's no way... It's pointless to even discuss something so foolish."

"Th-That's right... I don't believe it..." Teruteru agreed. "Because there's no way I can believe it... There's no reason in the first place to believe it..."

"Monomi... you would know." Peko realized.

"...Huh!?"

"Is what Monokuma said true? About our memory loss... And about the traitor...?"

"Um... I mean... Everyone needs to look to the future... That's why... you shouldn't look back to the past... Keep your eyes fixed upon the future. L-Let's do our very best!" Closing up with fear, Monomi turned and disappeared.

"Ah, she ran away!" Akane shouted.

"Hmph, how ridiculous..." Fuyuhiko scoffed. "Memory loss... A traitor... it's completely fictional... I can't deal with this bullshit, dumbass!"

At that moment, the monitors sparked to life, and Monokuma's voice announced, "Ahem! Hope's Peak Academy School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now the, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiiiight..."

The students stood around in silence for a moment. Chiaki broke it. "...Hey, what should we do?"

"It's better if we call it a night here." Byakuya decided. "We should get some sleep... and try to keep our minds calm."

"I guess... you're right."

"Just so you all know... Do not think about unnecessary things. This is your leader's orders. Tomorrow morning... let's meet at the restaurant after Monokuma's morning announcement."

"How troubling..." Sonia sighed. "I think the saying goes, "I am frightened so stiff...""

Teruteru stared down at the ground. "...I feel pretty stiff right now, too."

Kazuichi approached Sonia. "That's... not how that saying goes... B-But it's not her fault! She's a foreigner after all..."

One by one, each of the students left the park and headed for the hotel. Nagito hung back to watch them all leave, gauging their reactions.

After a minute, the only person left in the park with him was Maki. She was staring at the stage, a hand on her chin. She muttered, "A traitor, huh...?"

"Hey, Maki, are you coming? It's probably not safe to be out during nighttime."

She nodded, turning to him. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm coming."

Together, in silence, they walked back to the hotel.

* * *

**Oh boy, a motive. I wonder how Maki is going to deal with this. Speaking of Maki, you may notice that her "free time" sections aren't done the same as Albert's were. I decided it'd be a little odd to do it the same way, since the perspectives are different this time around. Albert mainly hung around with Chihiro, and only had a few conversations with some of the others. This was because you could easily gauge his relationships with everyone just from his commentary. On the other hand, we rarely see what Maki is thinking, so I'll be trying to show her relationships with each of the others as we go along. Kinda like how some stories from Makoto's perspective try to balance his free time with everyone.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see if anyone falls victim to this motive.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I had a long week, but I managed to get this done in time.**

**My original plan had this chapter connected with the next one, but I realized that that would be way too long, and having to remove some dialogue just to make it sort of fit would be disappointing. So, yeah, while in Another Hope a murder would've happened by this point, unfortunately DR2 is a bigger game, and I have a lot of things to work around such as Albert and friends, foreshadowing for Maki's past, and things like that.**

**Now that I think of it, I've kinda been assuming that this story would have as many chapters as AH, that is 30. But now, I'm starting to realize that I'll probably have to exceed that. Not by too much, maybe somewhere between 30 and 40. Still, this thing is going to be a much bigger project than the first one.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Cooking Up A Storm**

The next morning after the motive reveal, everyone's nerves were shaken. If that wasn't bad enough, the Imposter had found a note under his door which he presumed had been there since the previous night. Given the contents of the note, and the fact that he was the one to receive it, it seemed as though someone had snapped, and was giving him one final chance to stop them.

_BE CAREFUL!_

_The first kill will happen tonight._

_Someone will definitely kill someone._

After he panicked for a moment, he came up with a plan. And now, it was time to put it into action. "...Is everyone here?"

Chiaki looked around the table, performing a mental headcount. "...Huh? It seems Fuyuhiko is not here yet."

"Hehe, maybe he already got killed..." Hiyoko suggested.

"Gyaaah! Dead bodies already!?" Ibuki shouted.

Peko rolled her eyes. "Don't go killing people off... I saw him outside earlier... However, he told me he would not be joining us this morning."

"Why does he have to act like a lone wolf at a time like this...?" Mahiru sighed.

"C-Could he... Is he thinking up a plan to kill someone by himself...?" Kazuichi asked.

"Kazuichi! You should not doubt your friend!" Sonia scolded.

"Well, he's a yakuza, isn't he?" He said in defence. "Do you understand what that means? He's part of the Japanese mafia!"

Maki shrugged. "Honestly, I'm with Soda Pop on this one. Regardless of if he's planning anything, after his little speech last night, he's made it clear he's just a hindrance to our efforts, at best."

The Imposter nodded at everyone's commentary. "I presume he's the kind of person who would not come even if we summoned him... I guess it can't be helped... We should just talk among ourselves. Someone can fill him in later."

"Talk...?" Hajime repeated. "What are we going to talk about?"

"Rejoice... I have decided to throw a party tonight."

Everyone exchanged confused glances, as if their leader had finally gone mad.

"A p-party...?" Mikan asked.

He put on a smug grin. "That's right. A huge party that will last from sundown to sunrise."

"Party till the sun comes up!?" Ibuki shrieked.

"Just so we're clear, I will not allow any absences. Your attendance at this party is absolutely mandatory."

"H-Hey... Now's not the time to talk about stuff... like partying!" Kazuichi snapped.

"On the contrary... there is no better time than this..."

"But still... we really shouldn't be partying..." Mahiru said.

"...Um, hold on." Nagito interrupted. "I agree with Byakuya... It doesn't do us any good to stay bummed out like this... In fact, because of the situation we're in, it's probably best if we all strengthen our friendships with one another. That's what you thought too, right? That's why you want to throw a party."

"It doesn't matter why I'm doing it... Anyway... it is of vital importance that we all stay in one place tonight."

Gundham examined him. "...You say that with such significance."

"It's decided! We're having ourselves a party!" He insisted.

"E-Even so... I'm not sure it needs to last all night..." Mikan offered.

"...If I thought that, I would have made that clear from the beginning."

"I-I-I'm terribly sorry! I'm so, so sorry for trying to meddle with your plan!"

"It's important to be flexible in situations like this..." Nekomaru mused. "Perhaps a diversion from all this is just what we need."

"...Then let's party hard!" Akane decided.

Teruteru perked up. "Ah, in that case, I'll put my amazing cooking skills on display for you guys."

"Where is the party going to be held?" Chiaki asked. "Would this restaurant be okay?"

"No, this won't do..." The Imposter decided as he scanned the room. "We need a location that's impervious to interference from outsiders. A place even Monokuma cannot enter... What we need is an enclosed space."

"...An enclosed space?"

"If the restaurant won't do, then neither will the lobby..." Gundham decided. "That's not nearly enclosed enough."

"Nor will the cottages..." Sonia said. "With so many people, we would all be pressed up against each other."

"But if you want to be pressed up against each other, then a cottage is clearly the best choice!" Teruteru offered. "Pressing up against ladies... without sneaking aboard the women-only train in drag... I feel so lucky."

Kazuichi shook his head. "I can't believe how comfortable you are with saying your perverted thoughts out loud..."

"Mmhmhm, I may be a pervert, but I'm the kind of pervert everybody likes!"

"Your confidence is seriously impressive..."

"Though not unfounded." Maki added. "He does have that... humourous charm that makes it hard to hate him."

Nagito raised his hand to make a suggestion. "Then... how about that old-looking building near this hotel?"

"...That run-down place?" Chiaki asked.

"Yeah, but if we do our best to clean it, I think it'd be perfect. Plus, it's basically the only place that meets our needs for an encloses space, right?"

"Indeed." Peko said. "However, Monomi has forbidden us from entering that old place. As I recall... it's in the middle of being renovated."

"I have heard your conversation!" Monomi cheered, suddenly showing up. "Heard it all with my very own ears! Ahem! I have good ears! Cuz I'm a rabbit!"

"Oh, so you use your ears." The Imposter realized. "That's strange..."

"Huh!?"

"Then what is the reason for those surveillance cameras? Are they for Monokuma's eyes only?"

Monomi turned away, unable to respond. Ibuki eyed her. "Ah, she looks so disappointed!"

"Well, it is of no concern... We can settle that issue another time... Regarding the old building! You came to tell us something about it, right!?"

"Yes, if it strengthens everyone's bonds with each other, then I will not hesitate to cooperate. So in that case, I will allow you to enter the old building! I'll cooperate so we can all party together!"

"Together?" Hiyoko repeated. "That's not gonna happen 'cause you're _so _disgusting. Do yourself a favor and stay away from mirrors. You'll be grossed out by what you see."

"Ugh... You're kind words make me wanna cry..." With a face that said she was not going to cry tears of joy, Monomi disappeared.

"Um... So we're all good with the old building?" Mahiru asked. "Then what about the preparations? If it's in the middle of a renovation, don't we need to clean it first?"

"I have never done the dirty work known as "cleaning" before." Sonia marveled. "I am excited to finally experience it!"

"No way!" Kazuichi cut in. "There's no way we can dirty our dear princess's hands!"

"Nyeeeh, I don't wanna do it either!" Hiyoko whined.

"What... Nobody's going to do it...?" Nekomaru asked.

"In that case, why don't we decide by a random drawing?" Nagito suggested.

"Random drawing...?" Hajime repeated.

"To be honest, I already prepared a drawing because I assumed something like this would happen." He held up seventeen chopsticks he was holding in a specific way as to hide the bottoms of them. "Whoever draws the chopstick with the red mark on it will be in charge of cleaning, okay? Does that sound fair?"

"Well then, let us entrust our destinies to the whims of this drawing!" Gundham agreed.

"Well, no hard feelings." Mahiru decided.

One by one, each student stepped forward to draw a chopstick. The tensity increased more and more as the number of chopsticks in Nagito's hands dwindled. Finally, the Imposter stepped forward. There were only two chopsticks left. 50/50. He made his choice, grabbed it, and pulled it out. It bared no red mark.

Nagito examined the last chopstick in his hands. "Huh? I'm left with the red mark!?"

"Haha... For someone called the Ultimate Lucky Student, you don't seem very lucky right now..." Hajime joked.

"Hmm, I guess it can't be helped... Well, if it's just cleaning, leave it to me. I'm actually pretty good at it."

"I thought so." Mahiru said. "You seem like you'd make a good stay-at-home dad."

"...I'll take that as a compliment."

"I'll handle the cooking!" Teruteru decided happily. "All right, first I'll have to prepare my ingredients, then I'll start cooking at the old building. I, Teruteru Hanamura, will go all out! I will prepare the world's tastiest dishes for you all!"

"Then I just need to pass along the party details to Fuyuhiko." Peko said.

"Let's go about our business then." The Imposter announced. "After Monokuma's nightly announcement, we'll meet at the old building."

With that, everyone pushed their plates away and began to scatter. The Imposter himself made his way back to his cottage. He had to make some more detailed security plans for the party tonight. He was going to make sure no one became a victim. It was his promise as a leader.

* * *

Maki yawned as she stepped out of her cottage. After breakfast, she had spent the rest of the morning finishing up reading the first binder on her shelf. So many intriguing murders, so many complex motives. She needed to unwind her mind for a bit.

It was then she noticed Teruteru entering the hotel grounds, carrying with him all of the ingredients he would need for a party of seventeen. Well, she assumed it wasn't his first trip, since no man could carry that much food all at once, but the amount he had right now was quite staggering. In fact, she could see him staggering quite a bit.

"Hey, Fuckboyardee, need a hand?" She offered as she took a crate of onions from the top of the stack.

Once he slowed down and adjusted himself to be able to see her through the stack, he smiled up at her. "Ah, Maki. Thanks, I could use some help. Though I never would've guessed you were the kind of girl who liked getting her hands dirty..."

"Okay, a forewarning, you're barking up the wrong tree there. But if you understand that, I'll let you continue with the idle flirting, just because I think it's funny."

"Sure, sure. Besides, just because I can't afford anything, doesn't mean I can't look at the menu, right?"

"Uh, sure. I guess that analogy works."

As the two of them entered the old building, Maki let out a low whistle at the amount of progress Nagito had made. She was expecting a dusty shed with cobwebs in every corner, but the wooden walls and floorboards seemed to have been wiped clean.

The two of them ventured further inside, down the hall to the kitchen. On the way, they passed the dining hall that Nagito was in the middle of transforming. A large carpet sat on the middle of the floor, but wasn't big enough to reach the walls of the room. He was setting up some foldable tables near the back of the room.

"You work fast." Maki observed.

He jumped at her sudden appearance, causing the table to fall over and hit his foot. He yelped.

"Are you okay?"

He smiled at her concern. "I'm fine. It's just this luck of mine. It's always just... going back and forth between good and bad, you could say."

"Um... like a pendulum?" She offered.

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it." He nodded, moving to put the table back up. "I guess that's why I can stay so optimistic in this situation. No matter how much bad stuff happens, eventually some good luck will come from it."

"That's a good attitude to have!" Teruteru agreed. "Not that anything too bad has been happening..."

"Yeah, yeah, you don't believe it." Maki muttered, rolling her eyes. "Well, I won't hold up any more of your time. C'mon, Teruteru."

"I'm right behind you~!" The shorter boy followed her to the kitchen.

As she entered, she could already smell some of the different dishes cooking. "Oh, you already started."

"Well, obviously." He said as the two of them set down their produce. "Some of the dishes take longer than others, so I started on those this morning before going out to get the ingredients for the rest."

"I'm guessing cooking requires a lot of multitasking, huh?"

"You know it. I can focus on a _lot _of different things, y'know?" He pulled some fish from a bag in the stack and brought it over to a prep counter.

"Right..." Maki went around to examine some of the pots and pans on the stove. "So, what are we having?"

"Well, it's supposed to be secret... but I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you an idea. I've prepared several different dishes. I've got western dishes like hamburgers, french fries, roast beef, chicken, corn, _sausage_..." He left a noticeable pause. "I've also got sweets like cakes, pancakes, strawberries, _bananas_... I have salad, baked potatos, meat on the bone... Of course, I also wanted to stick to a tropical theme, so I've got plenty of seafood, like lobster, sushi... Trust me, you won't be able to control yourself!"

"It sounds good. I can't wait. I'm just hoping you don't put any aphrodisiacs in there."

"I would never do that!" He snapped. "Aphrodisiacs would ruin the taste! Besides, I don't need them. My food tastes good enough on it's own to make your panties _drop_."

"So you've mentioned. But, as you can see, unlike the other girls on this island, I'm wearing pants."

"Hehe, well, I love a good challenge, you know." Teruteru paused for a second, his mischievous grin dropping. "Did you hear that?"

"What...?" The two of them stood silent for a moment. Maki heard a quiet but creepy laughter coming from the dining hall.

"What is that?" Teruteru asked. "You don't think it's a ghost or something, do you?"

She thought for a moment. "Could be. But doesn't it sound almost like Nagito?"

"Actually... Now that you mention it, yeah, it does sound like him. What's he doing over there?"

"Let's go check it out."

The pair went over to the dining hall and peeked through the door, as quiet as they could. There, at the far end of the room, they saw Nagito under a table, messing with something. As she watched, it seemed as though he was taping it to the underside of the table.

"Is... that a knife?" Teruteru observed.

Her eyes widened. "Yeah, I think it is..."

Suddenly, he crawled out from underneath the table, and began to turn toward them. Maki jumped back and pulled Teruteru with her, dragging him back to the kitchen. Once there, she quietly closed the door behind them.

"Wh-What do you think he's doing with that?" Teruteru asked.

"I don't know... but I have a bad feeling about this." Maki admitted, messing with her cat-ear hairband. "The other day... Byakuya and I were talking, and he told me to keep an eye on anyone I thought might be driven to murder. One of the people on my list was Nagito..."

"Y-You think...!?"

"Well, I don't know Nagito very well. I only met him a couple days ago. So, maybe we should just, you know, keep an eye on him."

They heard footsteps outside the door, and for a second Maki froze, afraid that they had been caught. But the footsteps kept moving down the hall. She opened the door just a crack, and saw Nagito turning at the end of the corridor. "Hey, Teru, what's down there?"

"Um, if I recall... all that's down there is a storage room. I think that's where Nagito got the tables and tablecloths from."

"Hmm..." About a minute later, Nagito came back. Maki stepped away from the door, to make it seem as though she had not been spying. After Nagito passed the door, she peeked her head around the corner to follow him as he passed the dining hall and made his way to the office. She noted that he wasn't carrying anything new. She turned to Teruteru. "Watch the office door, let me know if he does anything else."

"Wh-What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to check out the storage room. I want to know what business he had in there." With that, she slid her way through the door and, swift as the wind, made her way down the hall.

It was dark inside. The sole light bulb hanging from the ceiling flickered weakly, only allowing Maki to see right in front of her face. There was a couple of shelves with tablecloths on them, as Teruteru said. However, what quickly caught her attention were three clothing irons plugged into a nearby socket, and cranked to their highest settings. _Did Nagito do this...?_

As she stepped away, she bumped into a stack of cardboard boxes, sending them tumbling to the floor. There on the floor, behind the wall of cardboard, she noticed a trap door. _Ah, for getting under the building's foundation. I'll keep that in mind._

With that, she quickly made her way back to the kitchen. There, Teruteru was peeling carrots at a nervous pace. "He just left the office... He's in the dining hall now. Did you notice his grin? He's just grinning to himself... Like he's gone crazy..."

Maki considered her options. Eventually, she said, "I'm going to go confront him. Maybe if I catch him in the act, he'll back down. At the very least, it'll discourage him from killing anyone."

"I-I'll come with you! If two people confront him, then it'll be more likely for him to be intimidated! Plus... My Mama wouldn't forgive me if I let a girl put herself in danger without going with her."

She stared at him for a moment before turning to the door. "...Alright, mama's boy, let's go."

They made their way to the dining hall, slowly. When they reached the door, Maki opened it just a crack, and they looked in. Nagito seemed to be messing with the air conditioning. She took a deep breath, psyching herself up. She knew how stubborn Nagito could be, so she'd have to push back just as hard. With that thought in mind, she reeled back and shoved her foot into the door, causing it to slam open. "Nagito! What are you doing?"

"Huh...?" Shocked, the boy turned toward them, stepping away from the air conditioner.

"Don't play dumb. We've been watching you. Why did you plant a knife under that table, and plug in those irons in the storage room? And why are you fiddling with the air conditioning?"

Once he recovered from the initial shock, Nagito smiled pleasantly. "...Oh, I've been caught?"

Teruteru entered, followed Maki's lead. "B-Been caught...? What are you doing? What are you scheming!?"

He spread his hands, as if it were obvious. "...I'm planning to kill someone, of course."

"Huh?" The Criminologist and the Cook both exchanged glances. That wasn't the reaction either of them were expected.

The Lucky Student looked between them. "Maki, Teruteru... just to let you know, it's pointless of you to stop me. If you stop me now, it doesn't matter. I will never give up. Whether it's tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or the days beyond that... I'll definitely start the killing."

"Wh-What?" Teruteru squealed. "No matter how much you want to leave this island, that's just...!"

"...I see... So that's what you think..." Nagito sighed. "But, that's not it at all. This isn't about my survival. I just... want the killing to start."

"Wh-What are you saying...?"

"I love everyone here. That's why I want to be of good use to them. I love all of the Ultimates... and I admire them for being symbols of hope. That's right... In the name of hope, I love everyone's talents from the bottom of my heart. That's why... I don't want them to lose against something like killing. I want them to prove to me that hope will never lose, no matter how daunting the despair they face may seem. I want everyone to prove to me that "hope will never lose to despair"!"

"Wh-What are you saying...? I don't understand at all!"

Maki, who had been listening to Nagito quietly until now, stepped forward. "Don't try to understand him. He's crazy; his mind works completely different than someone like you."

Nagito ignored her and tried to explain to Teruteru anyway. "See, isn't it typical that if you face a strong enemy, you will become even stronger yourself...? Which means... the stronger the despair you face, the stronger everyone's hope will become, right? I... want to see that brightness. And in order to see it, I'm going to become everybody's stepping stone. I want to make your hopes shine... It's as simple as that... That's right, I yearn for a powerful hope that can overcome any kind of despair!"

"A-Are you kidding...?" Teruteru asked. "Don't tell me... you're actually serious...?"

"So you don't understand... That's fine... I don't really mind... I'm just an obsessed fanboy so it's all right that this love of mine is unrequited. I suppose... I can be called the Ultimate Ultimate Fanatic!"

"You really are crazy." Maki muttered. "But that doesn't matter. I won't let you use your philosophy as an excuse to commit murder. I've worked with law enforcement before, and I've seen every excuse. But no matter what, needless killing is wrong!"

"Really? Do you really think so? Do you really think... there's something wrong with me? But... isn't that what love is?"

"...Huh?"

"I mean, if you have a favorite boxer, don't you want him to fight against a strong opponent and win? It's a given that trials are necessary to become strong, and the harsher the trial, the stronger you become, no? For mere humans, killings are simply a tragedy, but... for worthy humans, a trial such as this can elevate their status to an even higher level. It's amazing to me that someone as untalented as myself can become that trial! There's no point in someone like me surviving... It's far more significant for me to die as everyone's trial. There's no greater honor than becoming the foundation so that your values may ascend to brave new heights!"

"Okay, okay, I get it." She snapped. "You think you know what's best for us. But mark my words, Nagito Komaeda, I won't sit by and just let you do whatever you want."

With that, she turned on her heel and marched out of the room. Teruteru quickly followed. "Wh-Where are you going?"

As they made there way to the kitchen, Maki was in the middle of her train of thought. "He made it clear that no matter what we do, he'll keep trying to kill someone. Even if we tie him up, he'll find a way to stir conflict. He wants killing him to be our only way to stop him. This will be a psychological battle, not a physical one."

"What do you need me to do!?" He asked. "I'll do whatever I can to help!"

She gave him a dismissive glance. "You're a chef, aren't you? Just focus on cooking the meals. Leave it to the professionals to prevent it from being someone's Last Supper."

Dejected, the Cook nodded and returned to preparing the food. Maki, however, was too caught up in her own thoughts to notice.

_Nagito Komaeda. I knew he would go far for his ideals, but this is another thing entirely. I'll have to be careful around him, he has a powerful mind, and great multitasking and planning abilities. However, he wouldn't be the first criminal that I've had to ensnare. He'll be a worthy opponent, to be sure, but I've dealt with the most ruthless and genius psychopaths. Compared to that, planning around him will be child's play, especially when I already know what his plan is. Mark my words, Nagito, you've sorely underestimated me if you think I have to become a murderer to stop you. I _will _stop you. I can't tolerate another failure like... last time._

Shaking the unpleasant memories from her mind, a plan formed in their place, and Maki left the old building. Her next destination was the supermarket. She would have to prepare for the ensuing battle.

* * *

Kazuichi sat in his cottage, and was in the process of reassembling his alarm clock. He had probably disassembled and reassembled it a dozen times since Monokuma's appearance. It reminded him of home, in a way. Mechanics, no matter how simple, were in his blood. Either way, it provided a small comfort against the killing game he found himself in. He just wished he didn't have to wait so long for the party tonight.

As that thought struck his mind, he heard his doorbell chime. Carefully setting aside the pieces of his clock, he slowly made his way to the door and opened it cautiously. "Yeah?"

"It's just me, Soda Pop. You busy?" Maki asked as she let herself in. From her left and right shoulders, a coil of rope and of cable were hanging, respectively.

"Is that a joke? I'm getting really restless, actually." He said, gesturing to his half-built clock.

"Good. I've got a project to distract you for a bit." With that, she took a piece of paper from her lab coat and unfolded it.

"Um... What is it?" He asked, staring at her crude artwork.

"It's... well, I guess "trap" would be the right word for it. Though the word I would use is trigger. It's like a trip wire, but I need it to automatically set after a certain amount of time, so it doesn't go off too early."

"So... you need an automatic trip wire with a timer? What for?"

"I'm trying to beef up security for the old building. We don't need anyone trying to sneak out to grab a weapon with everyone distracted, y'know? So, how quickly do you think you could make this?"

He examined the shoddy blueprints, then looked over to the pieces of his clock, then to the wire and rope she had with her. "Well, I am the Ultimate Mechanic. I bet I could get something like what you need before the party starts."

"Great. And, uh, try not to flash it all over the place. We can't have someone knowing what to look out for to avoid this thing, it'd be better if it catches them by surprise."

"Uh... right. What do you need the trigger to do, exactly?"

"Oh, I've got something ready for that already. An alarm. I just need to be able to plug these cables into it." She tossed him what she had with her. "And the rope is for, well, tying it to things."

"Okay..." He wanted to question her further, but he was out of questions. If all she needed was a siren, he could do that much easily. "So... what's in it for me?"

"Hm. I thought ensuring your safety would be enough, but if you still want something else..." She shrugged. "I don't know, I'll put in some good words for you to Sonia. Does that sound fair?"

His eyes widened. Help with Miss Sonia? With a wingman who understands girls? He cleared his throat and tried to play it cool. "Well... not that I need any help with that, but I guess it couldn't hurt."

"Just keep in mind, if you mess this up, I'll make sure she never sees you as anything other than a pig."

"Oh. In that case, I'll see you around. I better get started ASAP, y'know." He quickly began shooing her out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah. I still have some things to work on. I'm sure this party will be a bang, either way." She managed to get out that much before he closed the door on her.

He turned toward the parts he had to work with. He thought about the idea of someone trying something during the party, as Maki suggested. It wasn't likely, right? Who in their right mind would kill in front of everyone else, where they would be caught instantly? Still, he figured he had to at least do his best. For himself, for Miss Sonia, and for everyone else, he would ensure their safety.

* * *

**Maki's planning something, and we all know what happens when one of my OCs plans something, right? It NEVER goes well! I mean, when you think about it, Albert could never save anyone, and Toshihide couldn't break his Groundhog Day time loop, so I guess my characters really are doomed to failure. But then again, I guess that's my fault for writing it that way.**

**Still, I have to say, at least she's showing more initiative than Albert did about his first murder.**

**In the next chapter, the party will start, and we'll see if Maki's plan can truly stop Nagito.**


	6. Chapter 5

**It's party time!**

**There aren't any page breaks in this chapter, which is usually a rarity reserved for the trial chapters, but a lot happens in this one location. Like I said before, DR2 is a big game. I am also aware that I haven't been going back to Albert's POV very often, but obviously the main story takes place in the game, so that's where I'll be focusing most of the chapters. The next time we see him will probably be after the first trial. ****Anyway, will Maki's plan work, or will Nagito succeed in his attempt for murder? Or will something completely different happen?**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Total Party Kill**

That evening, everybody began arriving for the party one by one. At the door, Byakuya patted everyone down in a body search to make sure nothing dangerous was brought in. Maki didn't care. Her trap had already been set in advance, thanks to Kazuichi's quick work. Sonia would certainly hear a fine recommendation about him as thanks. However, that was later. This was now.

The Criminologist sighed as she leaned on the wall near the door of the dining hall. She was going to avoid going anywhere near the table Nagito hid the knife under. Once the lights went out, that area would suddenly become ground zero for this killing game. At least it would if her plan didn't work.

As the various faces arrived for the party, the atmosphere became much less tense than when it was just Maki and Nagito. She kept shooting him dirty looks, but he seemed to be really good at ignoring them. Either that or he was used to it. The thought just made her pity him, but she refused to let her emotions affect her judgement. Needless bloodshed was wrong.

"Ah, Hajime! How do you like it?" Nagito asked as the boy with the missing talent entered.

"What do you mean?"

Nagito spread his hands. "See? I decorated the whole dining hall for the party. I even laid out the carpet, too."

"...Really? Even the carpet?" Hajime eyed it, estimating how long it would have to be for the amount of floor it was covering.

"Yep, I brought it from the supermarket." He said proudly. Maki was quite impressed with how many useful things she could find there. "I actually wanted to cover the whole floor, but I guess the carpet wasn't big enough. There was a lot of dust and cobwebs all over the place, too. It took me all day to clean the dining hall just because of that."

Hajime seemed to appreciate the state of the room a lot more after hearing that. "You're commendable, Nagito."

"...Yeah, thanks."

As more and more people arrived, it became more lively, and everyone engaged in idle chit chat. Eventually, Byakuya arrived and cut through the noise with his commanding voice. "...Thank you for waiting. Teruteru is in the kitchen, and... it appears Fuyuhiko did not come."

Peko bowed slightly. "I apologize. I did inform him about the party, but..."

"It's not like you need to apologize, Peko." Mahiru said. "It's his fault for not coming..."

Byakuya sighed. "I explicitly stated that attendance was mandatory, but... It's fine... If just one person is absent, that shouldn't pose a problem... He won't be able to do anything."

"...What do you mean by that?" Peko asked cautiously.

"More importantly... hm?" The Affluent Progeny's eyes caught something. "Hey, what is that!?...Dangerous." He dashed toward the table at the center of the room, grabbed a group of kebabs, and started gorging them right off the skewer.

"H-Hey! What are you doing!?" Hajime asked.

"You're hoggin' all the food! No fair!" Akane accused.

"No, I'm not...!" He said, his mouth stuffed with food.

"I don't care what you say, you're totally pigging out!" Mahiru told him.

"I'm telling you, I'm not...! Look carefully at this dish."

"It looks like delicious roasted meat..." Nekomaru observed.

"...And just what is stabbed into this roasted meat?"

"...Hm? It's an iron skewer." Peko answered.

"That's right. This iron skewer is definitely a dangerous item. I must take full responsibility and collect it!"

At that moment, Teruteru entered to check up on them. "Heeeey! Looks like everyone's here! I should go ahead and bring out the rest of the...huh?" His eyes fell on the table the kebabs were previously on. "Whaaaaa-!? Some messy eater ruined my arrangement!"

"Who made this dish?" Byakuya asked, holding the skewers firmly, his eyes pointed directly at Teruteru.

"Th-That would be me, but... um... Are you a food critic...?"

"What are you plotting? Cooking with such dangerous items..."

"D-Dangerous...? That's churrasco, it's a South American meal where you stab meat with an iron skewer to cook it... It felt really tropical and exotic, so I thought it would totally fit the party's atmosphere."

"...These iron skewers are a problem."

"Eh!? Iron skewers aren't allowed either!?"

"If that's how you're acting, then there might be more skewers than just these... Hey... Hajime. Come with me. I need your help." Byakuya said as he grabbed his duralumin case and marched out of the room.

"...Wh-Why me!?"

"It's your fault for standing right in front of him..." Kazuichi said. "My condolences..."

With that, Hajime rolled his eyes and went to follow him. Teruteru seemed unsure of what to do, but eventually moved to follow them as well.

"Oookay..." Maki said. "He does know that common kitchen utensils can be considered dangerous, too, right?"

"Of course." Peko agreed. "Even a common spoon can be fatal, given the right precision and force."

"Either way, I guess it's good to know he's at least taking his job seriously." Mahiru admitted.

"Though, he may be taking it a little _too_ seriously..." Nekomaru mused.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather not risk getting a spoon through my eye." Maki joked. It didn't seem to lighten the mood.

After a minute, the door opened as Hajime and Byakuya entered, with Teruteru following slowly behind them. "Ah, they're finally back!" Mahiru said.

"Hey, let's eat already! I'm starvin'!" Akane begged.

"There's still an issue we need to address first." Byakuya told her.

"Eh? An issue? Who do I gotta beat the crap outta? Just say the word, I'll do it for ya!"

"That won't be necessary... The issue is where to safeguard this duralumin case that has all the confiscated items."

"Can't we just leave it here?" Kazuichi asked.

"I've already put a lock on the case, so it shouldn't be a problem, but... we should definitely up the security and keep it some place safe."

"Some place safe... Oh! There is a storage room at the back of this old building." Sonia suggested.

"A storage room, huh? ...Even so, we can't leave the case alone in there."

"Then someone should guard it." Peko decided. "That would keep it safe, yes?"

"Eh? Who? Who?" Hiyoko asked.

"...I'll do it, of course." The Swordswoman offered.

"Eh, are you sure...?" Mikan asked. "I guess... if you insist. Just kidding...!"

"But it'll be lonely there by yourself." Ibuki told her.

"I don't mind... I'm really not that good in situations where I have to be around lots of people anyway." She admitted.

"Nahaha, if I wrote a song about this, the title would definitely be "Lonely Girl in the Storage Room.""

"However, Teruteru has gone to the trouble of cooking... Is it all right for me to bring some of it with me?"

"Yeah, that's totally fine!" Teruteru assured her.

"But... if you're going to do guard duty anyway, it might be better to avoid the storage room." Nagito cautioned.

"Eh? Why is that?" Hajime asked.

"Well, not only is the storage room packed with lots of stuff, it's hard to see in there and full of cobwebs... Also, I was so busy cleaning the dining hall that I didn't even have time to clean the storage room."

Hajime nodded when he heard this. "If you stayed in there for a long time... I think it would be bad for your health."

"In that case... Why don't you guard it in the office?" Byakuya suggested to Peko. "If I recall correctly, there's also a circuit breaker in there, too. It'd be a good idea to guard that as well."

"Yeah, the office sounds nice." Nagito agreed. "I'm pretty sure it's not that dirty, either."

"...Understood." Peko decided. "So I need to be on guard duty at the office. Then, I should get going. Have fun tonight, everyone." She took a plate piled with food, the duralumin case, and slowly walked out of the room.

Ibuki watched her leave. "Mmm, seeing Peko's back as she walks away makes me feel like she's got this super cool, melancholy vibe..."

"But shouldn't she have taken that other case with her, too?" Hiyoko asked, pointing at a similar case in Byakuya's arms.

"This... No, this case is fine."

"Ah, no fair! You're, like, the only one who got to bring their own stuff."

"When you're as special as me... you get special privileges."

After a second, Kazuichi said, "When you put it that way... it's hard to argue with you."

"This duralumin case stays with me at all times. I've put the key to the other case in here as well. I will take full responsibility for watching over it. There's no way I can let anyone else handle this matter."

"M-More importantly... We're all done now, right?" Akane asked. "Let's start the party..."

"No, there's still more."

"Ugh, who do ya want me to beat the crap outta!? Hurry up and tell me already!"

"Seriously, it has nothing to do with that..." Hajime groaned.

"Actually... if you're volunteering, I do have one particular nuisance in mind." Byakuya said.

"Huh? Are you talking about...?"

"Monokuma, of course. He's the one thing that could obviously disrupt this party."

"Awwww riiiiight!" Akane cheered. "So you'll let me eat if I beat the crap outta Monokuma, right!?"

"Wait a sec..." Nekomaru interrupted. "If you actually pick a fight with that thing, you're just going to end up perforated..."

"Are you tellin' me to wait till I starve to death!?"

"St-Starve to death!?" Mahiru repeated. "That's a little extreme...!"

"Our opponent is not someone we can just fight." Byakuya reminded everyone. "Rather, it is better if we use our heads and think of a plan..."

After a few moments of silence, Chiaki spoke up. "...I'll do something about it."

"Do something...? You...?"

"Hey now... What can a girl like you do?" Kazuichi asked. "You're just gonna put yourself in danger."

"I won't. It's not like I'll personally do something."

"You won't...?"

"...Do you intend to utilize Monomi?" Gundham guessed.

"Yeah, if I can talk her into helping us... She might be able to keep Monokuma at bay... at least, that's what I think."

"Ah, that's probably a good idea!" Mahiru agreed. "She looks like the type that's easily manipulated!"

"Plus, Monomi and Monokuma totally have a rivalry going on!" Ibuki noted.

"Well, it's a pretty one-sided rivalry." Hiyoko muttered.

"But will you really be okay, Chiaki?" Nagito asked. "I still think it's dangerous..."

"I'll be fine. If things get dangerous, I'll just run away as fast as I can... Well then, I'll be going now." With that, she left the dining hall.

"Hm. So much for that whole "attendance is mandatory" rule." Maki said.

"S-So, it's all settled, right? Akane asked, wiping the drool from her chin. "Then can we..."

"...You're right. Let's begin." Byakuya announced.

"ALLLLLL RIIIIIIGHT!" Akane charged straight to the center table.

"Kehehe... So, the "banquet" has finally commenced..." Gundham said, approaching another table. "Fuhahaha! You better keep me entertained!"

One by one, each student made their way to the tables. Everyone started by pouring themselves a drink, bar Akane. Maki herself kicked off the wall and made her way straight for the central table, and poured herself a glass of grape juice as everyone began to banter.

"Hey, are we good? Can I finally eat?" Akane begged as she took a chunk out of a piece of meat.

"You're already eating!" Kazuichi said.

"Haha... hahaha... I-I can't stop... Hahahaha! I can't stop my hands from shovin' food in my mouth!"

"Well, of course you can't stop." Teruteru said proudly. "These are the world's tastiest party dishes, after all. No matter how full you feel, you can't help but continue eating such exquisite delicacies... This is what I cook, the world's tastiest dishes!"

"Th-That's rather scary..." Mikan said.

"...You're not eating?" Akane asked. "Then I'm gonna eat all this by myself!"

"I'll make lots more in the kitchen, and then I'll bring it all out here, okay?" Teruteru told them, making his way for the door.

"Hey everyone!" Mahiru announced. "While we're at it, why don't I take pictures for you guys?"

"Wow, that sounds wonderful!" Sonia cheered. "Please do!"

As Maki reached for some appetizers, Mahiru snapped a picture of her and the others at the table before moving around to get more angles. Everyone seemed to calm down now that they had something to distract themselves with.

Maki was the opposite. Despite occasionally responding to the small talk of the group with quiet laughter and a kind smile, she could feel her heart racing in her chest. The time for Nagito's plan was fast approaching, meaning she would have to play interference pretty soon. And if she messed up, it would cost a life. No. She shook her head. She wouldn't mess this up.

"Maki, are you well?" Sonia asked her. "You seem to be tugging on your hairband quite hard."

_Damn nervous tick._ She quickly pulled her hand down to her side and played it off. "Oh, I'm fine. Just a bit fussy about my hair, that's all."

"Ah, I understand. I usually have a hairdresser to help me for events such as this. I am lucky I at least remembered how to get my hair like this."

"Well, if it helps, I think you look enchanting."

"Oh, thank you! You are quite gorgeous yourself."

Maki smiled. It wasn't every day she was complimented by royalty. At that moment, she felt Kazuichi nudge her with his elbow. When she looked to him, he had an expression that said _I honoured my end of the deal, what about yours? _She rolled her eyes, and considered how to bring it up. Might as well be straightforward.

"Oh, by the way, thanks for the help earlier today, Kazuichi." She said, loud enough for Sonia to hear. "Seriously, you're a lifesaver. Don't know what we'd do without you."

"Huh? Oh, uh, don't mention it." The Mechanic said, unsure of where she was going with this.

"Did you have some problems with something, Maki?" The Princess asked.

"Yeah, well, you know how my cottage is the shoddy-looking one at the end of the boardwalk? Well, the electronics inside were pretty cheap, too, like the lights would flicker every so often and things like that. When I brought it up to Soda Pop, he dropped what he was doing and came to fix the problem. Great guy, he is."

"Hehe, just doing my job..." He said.

"Well, I'll be sure to employ his services if I ever have a mechanical problem." Sonia said.

His face fell for a moment. Not the type of attention he was looking for. "Right. Anytime..." But when he said it, she was already moving on to the next table.

"Hey, cheer up." Maki told him quietly. "Romance is a slow burn. We can't all have love at first sight. At least with this, she now has a positive opinion of you."

"She thinks of me like I'm another one of her servants."

"Yeah, but she also thinks of you as her classmate. So just be friendly, don't overwhelm her, and eventually she'll start to think more about you. Besides, chicks dig guys who can be reliable."

"If you say so..." He gave, staring after Sonia.

"C'mon, you got this, King Kazuichi."

"...King, huh?" He considered the title. "I never actually thought about that, but yeah, that is what I'd be if Miss Sonia and I got married or something... King Kazuichi. I like the sound of it."

"Oh, and one more thing. Thanks for the help, for real. The trap, I mean."

"Well, like I said, don't mention it. It was a piece of cake for the Ultimate Mechanic." He said confidently. He gave her a small wave as he walked off to follow the Princess. With that, Maki gave herself a satisfied sigh as she finished off her drink.

The sounds of the party were interrupted by Nekomaru's groans of increasing discomfort.

"Hm, Nekomaru? Did something happen?" Hajime asked.

"Th-The party's just started, but... I... must... return to my c-cottage...!"

"Don't be foolish..." Byakuya told him. "I won't allow such selfish actions."

"Don't stop me, Byakuya..." He warned. "There comes a time when a man knows he's gotta go...! If I don't go now... it would shame me as a man. Shitting my pants would totally shame me as a MAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"

"...So he _was _talking about the toilet!" Hajime gasped.

"Thank you, Hajime, I didn't catch that." Maki deadpanned.

"If you need to use the bathroom, there's one in this old building." Byakuya told him. "Why do you need to go back to your cottage?"

"I-I've been trying to use it many times... but the door just won't open at all!"

"Wh-What is this blasphemy...!?" Gundham asked, apparently not in response to Nekomaru, though.

"...What now?" Byakuya groaned.

"M-My Hell Hound Earring... has disappeared! Did it vanish into subspace!?"

"Calm down... You probably just dropped it somewhere."

"Oh shit!" Nekomaru suddenly shouted, clenching his buttcheeks mightily. "I'm gonna SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

"Shut up!" Byakuya demanded. "Don't you dare!"

"Heeeey, is it really all right if I eat all of this?" Akane asked, still picking through the large amounts of food Teruteru set out.

"D-Don't be an idiot! Make sure you leave some for me!"

"Heeeey Byakuya!" Mahiru approached him, still in the partying spirit. "Everyone c'mon! I'm gonna take a picture! All right, say "cheeeeeeeeese!""

In response to the camera flash, Byakuya turned to her. "Hey! Why can't you all act a little more mature...?" As he finished his statement, they all heard a machine beeping loudly. "...Hm? What was that sound just now?"

With that, the lights went out, plunging the students into complete darkness.

Several seconds of stunned silence passed before everyone started moving, the sounds of commotion being the only sign that anything was happening. Maki took a deep breath and started slowly walking backwards, toward the door.

"Uwah! It's a b-blackout!" Mahiru shouted.

"Hey, I can't see anything!" Kazuichi shrieked.

"I-It's pitch black! My future is pitch black!" Ibuki shouted melodramatically.

"E-Everyone, calm down! We gotta stay calm in a situation like this!" Mahiru told everyone.

"Waaaah! Don't step on my feet!" Hiyoko screamed.

At that moment, Maki felt her back collide with someone else, sending whoever it was tumbling forward and into the wall, and causing her to trip and fall on her butt. "Ah! S-Sorry!" Even worse, she had lost her sense of direction, and therefore lost her path to the door. She tried feeling at the floor, but everywhere she felt was just carpet. Then someone stepped on her hand, so that plan was a bust.

"H-Hold on a sec!" Kazuichi shouted over everyone else. "I'll go along the wall and... do something about it...!"

"What the hell!? What's going on here!?" Byakuya asked. "Th-This is...!"

"Ow!" Nagito yelped.

Suddenly, every sound was interrupted by a powerful shockwave as the back of the dining hall was illuminated by an explosion. Humanoid silhouettes and pieces of the floorboards were blasted away, colourful sparks flew all across the room, screams and crackling were the only sounds to be heard, and the smell of smoke assaulted the students' noses, making it hard to breath.

If there was one good thing about the sudden flames, they allowed the students to see in the dark, however dimly, and the chaos had come to a stop. Everyone simply stood or sat still in their spots, breathing shakily. Maki stared into the flames, her heart rate slowing down back to normal after the events.

Eventually, the lights turned back on, and everyone sighed deeply. But the respite didn't last long. Kazuichi ran in, carrying a fire extinguisher from the kitchen, and put out what little embers remained. Everyone moved in to inspect the damages.

Byakuya and Nagito laid near the hole at the back of the dining hall, hideous burns covering parts of their bodies. They appeared unconscious, most likely due to the shock. Luckily, their injuries weren't severe enough to be life-threatening.

Still, Nekomaru knelt down to inspect their wounds. "They're alive, but they're going to require immediate treatment. Where's Mikan?"

"Found her." Maki announced. Beside one of the tables, Mikan laid spread-eagle, covered and surrounded by various dishes that were knocked off the table.

"I-I'm sorry! I tripped again!" Mikan apologized when she saw Maki's gaze.

"S-Seriously...?" Hajime asked. "How do you trip and land like _that_!?"

"Never mind that." Maki snapped, helping Mikan to her feet. "You've got work to do."

Mikan followed her eyes to Byakuya and Nagito. "Ah! D-Don't worry, I can treat their wounds! I'll just need some medical supplies..."

"Where do we even take them?" Mahiru asked. "It's not like we have a clinic on this island."

"My cottage has what we need." Mikan explained. "We could take them there. B-But I'll need help moving them."

"I can help with that." Nekomaru boasted, lifting Nagito over his shoulder and pulling up Byakuya in his arms.

"Are you sure you can carry them by yourself?" Sonia asked. "Nagito might be thin, but Byakuya's physique is rather... grand."

"Muscle's heavier than fat, and I've had to carry some muscular athletes during my time as a team manager." He explained, steadily following Mikan out the door. "Besides, I need to head to my cottage, anyway, especially after that scare..."

The remaining students didn't quite know what to do. Some of them paced, some of them sat around, exhausted, and some of them just left to got to their cottages. Maki guessed that they all had the same thought in their minds: Why did this happen? She sighed in relief for the fact that Nagito wasn't a threat at the moment, but felt bad for Byakuya. Hopefully he would make a swift recovery. Things might not have gone exactly to plan, but at least a murder hadn't been committed.

After a few moments, Akane's quiet munching of table scraps was interrupted with sniffing. "...Hm? Hmmmm?"

"Did something happen, Akane?" Sonia asked.

"Well... Do any of you... smell somethin'...?"

Gundham shrugged. "After the inferno of the void, this cursed hall certainly smells of smoke. It would be odd if it did not."

"No, I'm not talkin' about that..." She clarified. "...It smells like... burnt meat?"

Everyone exchanged glances. The only table that was caught in the blast radius had no dishes on it. "Are you sure...?" Maki asked.

Akane's nose continued to twitch like an animal's. "It's comin' from over there...!" She said, pointing at the hole in the floor left by the explosion. "It's... under there...!"

Maki and Hajime were the first to move. They began moving toward the back of the room, slowly, as if each step could be their last. Just before reaching the tipped-over table that blocked the hole from their vision, they both stopped in their tracks.

_Why am I hesitating?_ Maki wondered to herself. _It's not like I'm afraid of death. I've never feared it in the past. Death is the path I follow to find murderers and psychopaths. Death is what I study so that I can find its weaknesses, so that I can prevent it in the future. Death is my calling. Death is how I survive. So why... Why am I hesitating?_

She bit her lip so hard that it threatened to bleed. She heard Hajime beside her mutter to himself, "There's no way that's gonna happen!" before he stepped forward and looked over the edge of the table. She forced herself to follow suit.

Laying at the bottom of the hole, on the scorched earth under the building, was a charred corpse. Charred black from the explosion, almost unrecognizable. The clothes were burned away, the skin was melted, the flesh and fat beneath were charred beyond repair. The spot where the face should be was, like the rest, burned black and misshapen. There was no movement, no sounds, no sign of life. It was undeniably a corpse, a dead body, and empty vessel. The only way the observers could identify the body was from its stature and physique. While the body was deformed, it still had its general shape, a unique shape that they were able to use to rule out, without any doubt, who it was under the floor.

The body was Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Cook.

* * *

**Looks like the cooks been cooked.**

**I apologize. If I'm being honest, I really did want Teruteru to survive a little longer this time around, because despite the way he acts, I do honestly find him to be an interesting character. Unfortunately, given how unstable he is shown to be in canon, I couldn't see the first case passing without him being involved in some way.**

**So, sorry to any Teruteru fans out there, but perhaps his death may allow him to act as a stepping stone for the hopes of his classmates. Or something.**

**In the next chapter, the students will investigate the circumstances of this murder.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Oh boy. 8k words. So, maybe my promise of including all evidence discovery, even when it's the same as canon, is somewhat flawed. I don't know, though, what do you guys think? Do you prefer having longer chapters with all (or almost all) relevant evidence, or could I cut back and only show what differs from canon? ****The pacing gets a little quick as the chapter goes on, but I just didn't want it to drag on.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**The Secrets of the Dark**

That image would be forever burned into Hajime's mind.

The Ultimate Cook, Teruteru Hanamura... already dead... beyond recognition.

Soon, the others in the room joined at Maki and Hajime's side, staring down into the void that threatened to consume all hope.

"Teru...teru...?" Sonia guessed as she stared at the horrific corpse. "Wh-Why is Teruteru...?"

"N-No..." Mahiru whimpered. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Hajime stood silently as a chorus of screams rang out behind him, as he stared at the body of his former friend.

"...Wh-Why!?" Mahiru asked.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Maki muttered. "Why...? Why is Teruteru...?"

"Th-This... It's impossible...!" Kazuichi shouted. "Don't mess with me! This must be some kind of mistake!"

"This... can't be a real body, right?" Ibuki asked. "It's gotta be like a fake or something... C-C-Cause... if not, th-this..." Her statement was interrupted as she began foaming at the mouth.

"Good gracious..." Monokuma remarked as he appeared, causing everyone to jump back. "Things quickly took a turn for the worse... My my, now this is interesting! On this tropical paradise known as Jabberwock Island, the very first murder has finally taken place!"

"M-Murder...?" Hajime repeated, the word sending a chill down his spine.

"You can't be serious!" Maki snapped. "Does this mean...?"

"Puhuhu... Of course... Teruteru... was killed by one of you."

"Wha-...!?"

"If you look at the body, you can tell instantly. He was obviously murdered. Look, he has such a horrible expression on his face, don'tcha think...? A face filled with regret that his life was ended by force, all thanks to someone else's selfish desires... To have a dying face such as this... If this isn't murder, then what the heck could it be? Teruteru was most likely sacrificed... by someone who reaaaaaally wanted to leave this island."

"L-Lies..." Hajime spat. "It's all lies! You're lying that he was murdered!" But the moment he said the last word, a thick black despair swelled up inside him. He had already accepted the fact that murder was Teruteru's fate.

"Wh-What... is this!?" Peko asked as she and Chiaki finally entered the room, making their way over to the hole. "I-Is that... really Teruteru?"

"Why... why did this happen?" Chiaki asked. "Why... Teruteru?"

"I see, I see..." Monokuma thought for a moment. "It appears quite a few of you are unable to make it at the moment... Sooo, in the spirit of keeping everyone on the same page, how about we do this the usual way!?"

A bell sounded as the monitor in the room booted to life. On it, a recording of Monokuma appeared, sipping a cocktail. "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

"Class... trial...?" Hajime repeated as the monitor shut off.

"I've already explained this to you, right? If one of you gets murdered, the rest of you have to debate who you think is the blackened."

"Y-You're telling us... to figure out who the killer is...?"

"That's right! From this point on, you guys must investigate and uncover the blackened culprit!"

"It can't be..." Mahiru argued. "Someone actually killed... There's no way!"

"Puhuhu, if you make an outburst like that, you'll end up being a suspect..."

"It's impossible..." Maki declared. "This wasn't a murder... that's impossible..."

"If you're actually thinking that way, it means you guys are already being conned by the killer. C'mon, c'mon! Let's hurry up and begin! An impassioned, life-risking battle between you guys and the blackened! Annnnd... it's already started! It started the moment one of you plotted to kill someone!"

"H-Hey!" Monomi came out of nowhere, glaring at Monokuma. "What are you saying!? Everyone! Please! You cannot, you should not, believe what Monokuma says!"

"No matter how much you interfere... there is only ever one truth. On my grandfather's name!"

"You have a grandpa!?"

"On my grandfather's grave!"

"Grave? You're grandpa is dead? What happened to him!?"

"On my grandfather's plane!"

"What happened to your grandpa!? Did his plane crash!?"

"Hmmm... I don't even know where to begin... At this rate... You ain't my comedy partner anymore!" He swung back and sent a twisting punch into her face.

"UGYAAAAAAH! It hurts so much when you hit me with a charging corkscrew attack!"

"Didja see that!? This stunning display of power! Defy your big brother and I will show you no mercy! I will harden my heart and teach you a lesson you won't soon forget!"

Monomi sobbed as what appeared to be blood dripped from the top of her head. "Ugh... if only I had my Magic Stick... I'd be able to fight back against Monokuma..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just leave the whiny rabbit loser alone and get on with the investigation. Now then... in the spirit of lovey doubt and dovey deception, put your heart and soul into investigating! Yahooooo! I wish you the best of luck!" And with that, Monokuma disappeared, leaving everyone alone with their despair.

"Wh-What does this mean...? I don't understand this at all...!" Mahiru cried.

"A search for Teruteru's killer... Why did it turn out like this...!?" Peko asked.

"Ugh... Gimme a break..." Kazuichi whined. "Why do I... have to be involved in this horrible situation...?"

"U-Um... You can't doubt each other... Cuz... you're all friends..." Monomi did her best to encourage everyone.

"But the pervert chef really did get killed, right?" Hiyoko snapped. "And if we don't find out who the killer is, we're all gonna get killed, right?"

"That being said, I cannot abide by this!" Sonia declared. "Now that I have finally made friends... there is no way I can doubt them...!"

"Seriously? Did you even listen to what I said?" Hiyoko asked. "It doesn't matter if you can "abide" by this or not... We gotta do this to survive, right? Then we have no choice but to do it."

"Nooooooo!" Monomi cut in. "Friends doubting friends is a major no-no!"

"Argh! Shut up!" Kazuichi snapped. "Just go away already, you useless piece of trash!"

"Ha-wa-wa! Threats are scary!"

"...Do we... really have to do it...?" Hajime asked, to no one in particular.

"No... I don't want to do something like that..." Mahiru said.

"However, it is just as Hiyoko said." Peko told them. "If we're going to get killed for not doing it... then we must do it."

"Still, I... I can't believe that this was a murder." Maki insisted. "With that in mind... I'll do it. I'll investigate Teruteru's death, to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no killer among us. Our real enemy isn't each other, it's the mastermind!"

Her words seemed to have an effect on the others. It didn't exactly raise their spirits, but they all realized the weight of what was going on.

"Ah, before you start, can I say something?" Chiaki asked. "...In closed-circle detective games, the player usually has to decide on who's going to guard the crime scene... What should we do?"

"Oh yeah, it would be bad if the killer destroyed the evidence and got away with it." Hiyoko agreed.

"D-Destroyed the evidence...?" Mikan repeated.

"Um... I can be the one who watches the crime scene..." Mahiru offered. "I don't have enough confidence to investigate the body... and it's not like I have the brains either... I'll just stay by Teruteru's side. That's the least I can do. That's what guard duty is, right?"

"And what, specifically, should we be doing now?" Ibuki asked. "I have nooooooo idea!"

Maki sighed. "It's obvious that I'm the only one with experience for situations like this, however little. Without police equipment, we obviously can't access certain things that I'd like to have, such as fingerprints. I also would've liked to have Mikan perform an autopsy, but she's a little preoccupied at the moment. Besides, given the body's condition, I doubt she'd be able to gleam much. Either way, without a strong lead, we're just going to have to rely on our intuition to prove that none of us murdered Teruteru."

"But... to perform an autopsy on your friend... How cruel..." Monomi whispered.

"Are you still here?" Maki turned on her. "If you don't want to help us, fine, but don't get in our way."

For a moment, Monomi gave her an odd look. Hajime noticed that it was different than the looks she gave the other students when they yelled at her. It was less disappointed and more... distrusting. She quickly returned to her sobbing.

"If we are to survive... this is our only path." Sonia decided.

"Something like this... is the only thing we can do in order to stay alive..." Mahiru agreed sadly.

Hajime thought it was horrid. That something like this was their only hope of survival. Their only hope... But still... "...Even so... I still gotta do it."

As each student finally psyched themselves up for the investigation, Monokuma showed up once again. "TA-DAAAA! You thought it was time for the investigation, buuuuut... The Monokuma File! Just as I thought, you amateurs need this, right?" He said proudly as he produced sixteen small black tablets.

"Wh-What the hell... is a Monokuma file...?" Hajime asked.

"Jeez, explaining the rules all the time reaaaaally breaks my bones... Well, it's not like I have bones in the first place... Like, don't even make me say such lame jokes! Let's seeeee... the Monokuma File contains precise and detailed information regarding the dead body. I've brought it to ya so you guys can smoothly proceed with the investigation. I'm such a nice guy! I'm so nice I wanna be known as the Mother Teresa of the Mascot World!"

""Nice," you say... You're just a selfish meanie!" Monomi shot.

"My my my... Monomi the Meaningless Mascot, you're still here?"

"Don't put me in the meaningless mascot genre!"

"C'mon, let's go! Your turn is already up! Hurry up and get the hell outta here with me!" He grabbed her and started dragging her away.

"Ouchie! Don't pull my ears! They're gonna come off!" With that, both mascots disappeared from the students' sights.

"The Monokuma File, huh...?" Hajime inspected it.

"I assumed we'd get something like this." Maki admitted. "The mastermind seems to enjoy making things fair, for whatever that's worth."

Hajime, as well as several other students, inspected the files in their hands.

_The victim is Teruteru Hanamura. Estimated time of death is 11:30 p.m. The body was discovered underneath the floor of the old building near the Hotel Mirai. The entire body was severely burned, and riddled with shrapnel of varying size. As for internal injuries, many of the victim's organs were ruptured, including the eardrums. No chemicals such as poison were detected._

Hajime took a deep breath, pocketing his file. Teruteru was dead. His heart finally accepted what his mind already had. With this realization came a feeling of remorse. He wasn't going to pretend that Teruteru wasn't a weird guy with some behaviour problems, but he was sorry he hadn't spent more time with him, and gotten to know him. For his fallen friend, and for everyone who was still alive, he had to investigate this murder. Well... here goes nothing.

Wanting to avoid going near the body at the moment, he decided first to check out the duralumin case Byakuya had brought. Last he saw it, it was closed and locked, but now it was wide open. Inside, he found a nightstick, pepper spray, a taser, and other things one would find in a self-defence kit. He also found an empty plastic case, which was an odd shape. The thing that caught his attention, however, was the key. Byakuya had mentioned keeping the key to the other case in this one, meaning confiscated items were likely unrelated to this murder.

"Even so... I still don't get it." _Why did Byakuya have this duralumin case in the first place? It was almost like... he knew something was going to happen beforehand._

Hajime turned to some of the other people in the room. Despite the intensity of the situation, it wasn't noisy. Everyone was very quiet. "Mahiru, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... Is that what you expected me to say!? Because I feel terrible! One minute Teruteru is alive and well...and in an instant, something awful suddenly happens... Of course I'm not fine. And not only that, but whoever killed him is one of us, right!?"

"That hasn't... been determined yet..." Hajime argued.

"...It's _already _been determined! You've already accepted it, haven't you!? That we... have to find out who the killer is... Find out which friend killed our friend..."

"I don't like it either but... we won't survive... if we don't go through with it. It's not just for yourself! We have to do it to protect all of us!"

"...If... If I had only acted calmer during the blackout, Teruteru might still be alive. This whole thing would've never happened..."

"Stop blaming yourself... Nothing good will come of it..."

"...Agh, jeez!" She shook her head. "Getting cheered up by a boy isn't like me at all! Hey Hajime, forget about what I just said! Got it!?"

"Y-Yeah... that's fine. I got it..."

"Anyway... I won't dwell on it for now. I can't become a burden to everyone. Plus... there might be a clue that only I have access to..."

"...A clue?"

"Photos. The ones I took just before the blackout, remember?"

"Oh yeah... the pictures..."

"Wanna see them? I have a digital camera so I can show them to you right now."

"Really? Please!"

She stood beside him and started going through her album. "Let's see, it's this photo... and this one. I took these two photos just before the blackout, but... Huh?"

"...Is something wrong?"

"I didn't realize it until just now, but right before the blackout, Byakuya was standing in a totally different place than where we found him. Wasn't he near that table that had the lamp on top of it? The one underneath the monitor? Prior to that, Byakuya was standing along the wall farthest away from that table."

"You're right... That's pretty far... Hey, can you approximate everybody's standing position from these photos?"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It'd be hard to understand from the photos alone, so it might be better for me to plot it out. But... would that actually provide a clue?"

"I don't know yet, but... I feel like it could."

"Got it... Then leave it to me. That's pretty much the only job I can do anyway."

"Thank you."

"All right, now that that's decided... You better work hard on your investigation too! How much longer are you planning to stand around? Do you understand what's going on? You gotta find out how Teruteru died."

"Y-Yeah, I know, but..." He sighed at her sudden change in demeanour, but decided it was better than her being depressed. He slowly made his way closer to the hole in the floor, but kept stalling. He inspected the air conditioning unit just above it.

_Hm...? Air conditioner? Could it be...?_ He recalled the moment before the blackout, when everyone could hear a beeping sound. _This air conditioner is probably the only machine inside this room... And... the air conditioner's remote control... _"The timer is set to 11:30 p.m. I'm pretty sure Teruteru's time of death was around the same time. If so... that means..." Hajime nodded as it started to make sense. "My flashes of inspiration aren't as bad as I thought."

With that, he turned to the only spot he hadn't investigated yet. He made his way over to the hole in the floor, where Teruteru's body became visible to him once again. "Why... why did he have to end up like this...?"

Maki had already beaten him there. She held her collar over her nose as she inspected the body, occasionally even touching it with her hands. Hajime was impressed by her lack of hesitation.

"I overlooked the shrapnel on my initial... viewing." She explained. "Most of the shards are probably very small, so we can't see them, but upon closer inspection, I can see some of the larger pieces sticking out." She looked down at her watch. "And 11:30 is roughly the same time that explosion happened. So, assuming that's what killed him, we can believe that the Monokuma File is accurate." Her eyes seemed to catch something out of Hajime's field of vision. "...Hey, Hajime, come down here."

"Huh? Why?"

"I noticed something I want you to look at."

"Uh, okay." He pulled his shirt over his face like her, and jumped down to her side. Now that he was closer, he had a better view of things. Teruteru's body looked even more horrific, he could see the ashes in the dirt under their feet, and he could see some objects that were hidden under the floor.

"There." Maki pointed to a large metallic box. Hajime leaned over to get a better look. It appeared to be a fireworks machine. Not the kind used on stage that sprayed sparklers, but the kind that was used to light multiple rockets at once for big events. It looked big enough to fire about twenty rockets once activate. It was tipped at an angle, pointing directly at the hole that was formed. "I'll bet you top dollar that's our murder weapon." To prove her point, she pulled from the ground a small shard of shrapnel that was decorated with colourful, if charred paint.

Hajime went to move the machine into the light, but even with some good leverage, he found resistance. Peering past it into the dim light and darkness beyond, he saw the machine was tied to a rope that disappeared into the distance. "Huh? What's this?"

He turned to Maki, and she seemed to be thinking deeply. Finally, she shrugged. "I suppose the killer wanted to keep track of its spot somehow?"

"Is that it?"

"More importantly, how about this?" Maki asked, bending over and picking up an odd object. One end was designed to look like a bone, but the other end appeared to be a very thin, warped blade.

"What's that doing under here?" Hajime wondered.

"That's just another question for the pile, isn't it?"

Hajime considered this as he did another scan of the area, and then looked up to the table that was tipped over. Now that he had a clear view of the underside of the table, he noticed something stuck to it. "What about this?"

Maki followed his gaze. "Good eye, Hajime. I didn't notice that."

"It looks like... a knife taped to the underside of the table." He observed, climbing back up to get a better look. "And what's this green stuff on it?"

Maki followed him, and leaned in to look at it. She held her hand over it, and nodded as her palm glowed a pale green. "It's glowing paint."

_How did the knife get here in the first place?_ Hajime wondered. _Byakuya thoroughly patted down everyone and thoroughly inspected every corner of this old building, and all the confiscated dangerous items were supposed to be placed in that duralumin case. _"It's possible they stole this knife from the case... Or... they hid it somewhere hard to find."

"See, it isn't that hard to put your junior detective brain to work, is it? Also, this is a pretty interesting find." She held up what appeared to be a pair of binoculars. Parts of it were busted due to the explosion earlier.

"Why is there a pair of binoculars under the table?"

Maki shook her head, chuckling. "This isn't exactly a good location for birdwatching. No, these are night-vision goggles."

"N-Night-vision goggles?"

"The supermarket stocks all kinds of equipment like this. Probably in the hopes that we'll use them for murder plots."

Hajime made note of this, performing one last scan of the area around the hole. When neither he nor Maki noticed anything, they climbed out of the hole.

Maki seemed to be lost in thought as she spoke. "Hey Hajime, there's something I want to run by you. How do you think Teruteru got under the floor? We saw him before the blackout, so he must've gotten under there sometime between then and the time of the explosion. But isn't that confusing? _Why _was he under the floor?"

"You're absolutely right..."

"I think discovering exactly what happened during the blackout is going to be the crux of this case."

Hajime shook his head. "There's no way I'd know... It was so dark during the blackout, I couldn't see a thing."

"Well... Sight isn't the only kind of testimony there is. Sometimes, an account of what was heard is just as valuable."

Hajime nodded, knowing what she was implying. There was only one person here whose ears would be strong enough to pick up everything through the racket.

"By the way, Hajime, when we're done investigating here, would you mind coming with me to pick up testimonies? If I go solo, some people might not speak to me due to our situation."

"But, why me?"

"Well, you're easy to talk to. Plus, you might have a knack for this investigation stuff. I suppose what I'm trying to say is... I trust you." The way she said it, it was as if she was afraid the words would explode as they left her mouth.

Still, he decided not to argue. "...Fine. If we're going together, let's get on with it. There's no time for idle chit-chat."

"...Thanks."

As they approached the door, however, Hajime noticed one last odd thing. "What's that?"

Maki followed his gaze to the small rope poking up through the floorboards, and hooked onto the door hinge. "I'm not sure. Say, where else have we seen a rope in here?"

"...That rope that was tied to the fireworks machine. But why would the killer tie it to the door?"

"Not sure. Just another question we can solve later. C'mon, let's get a move on."

* * *

As Hajime left the room behind Maki, she began to explain what was going through her head. "It's easier to get through tasks when you split them up and focus on one part at a time. With that in mind, now that the dining hall is finished, we should focus on the rest of the building before exploring outside."

"Yeah, you're right."

The pair walked up to Ibuki, who seemed to be in the middle of her own train of thought. "Apparently, a great man once said, "Investigations should be done on foot." Sooo, that's why I'm also using my feet! I'm just walking around for no particular reason!"

"At least there's a method to her madness." Maki remarked. "Ibuki, we were wondering if you had any idea what occurred during the blackout. With your ears, that should be easy, right?"

"Tee hee, not only do I have a perfect face, style, and personality, but I also have perfect ears!"

"...I see. If your hearing is so good, maybe you heard what actually happened during the blackout." Hajime suggested.

"Specifically, we need to make out who said what, to give us context clues as to what happened." Maki requested.

"Just leave it to Ibuki! It'll be easy as fried rice with gravy!"

"...Huh?

"La-li-la-laaaa! I'll heartily eat it for breakfast!"

"...Uh, right. I'll take your word for it."

"Anyway... can you tell us what you heard?" Hajime asked.

"Leave it to me! I'mma take a bite outta ya!"

"Ibuki..." Maki's voice gained a firm edge. "Please, we're all going to die."

"Alright, alright..." The reminder seemed to significantly lower Ibuki's mood. "Let's see... the first person to raise their voice during the blackout was... That's right, it was Mahiru."

_Uwah! It's a blackout!_

"Next... was Kazuichi's voice, and the next next voice was mine."

_Hey, I can't see anything!_

_I-It's pitch black! My future is pitch black!_

"Kyahaha! What a nice remark I made! It's to the point and has its own unique charm!"

"...Just continue."

"Then there were more voices, one after the other..."

Mahiru._ E-Everyone, calm down! We gotta stay calm in a situation like this!_

Hiyoko. _Waaaah! Don't step on my feet!_

Maki. _Ah! S-Sorry!_

Kazuichi. _H-Hold on a sec! I'll go along the wall and... do something about it...!_

Byakuya. _What the hell!? What's going on here!? Th-This is...!_

Nagito. _Ow!_

"All righties! That's pretty much it! Hehehe, aren't I awesome!? Praise me, praise me! Gimme lots of praise!"

"I-I heard you the first time..." Hajime said, trying to keep her off of him. "Seriously, don't get any closer... Hey Maki... Say something to her...!"

"Thanks for the help, Ibuki, but I'm afraid I need Hajime alive and un-bitten for now."

Hajime took note of her distracted expression. "...Hey, did something happen?"

"Well, it's like I said, what happened during the blackout is going to be a the crux of this case. So I'm just carefully considering what those voices meant. Either way, this will help take us to the truth."

"Then praise me! Lemme bite ya!" Ibuki pounced on Hajime and closed her mouth on his arm.

"...Ouch! Why are you really biting me!?" He shouted. Maki sighed.

After that, the two of them made their way to the kitchen. The scent of cooking food served only as a sad reminder of the recent death. Maki went around and turned off all the devices that were abandoned, and likely would never be used again. Hajime found an equipment list hanging from a hook.

"Well, just from reading through this list... It looks like that knife that was taped under the table didn't come from in here." Maki noted as they read through it. "Meaning it was brought from outside."

"From outside...? Then how did the killer get past Byakuya's body check?

"Good point. He didn't even go easy on the girls for that. They would've had to have brought it before Byakuya even started up security."

"There weren't that many people going in and out during that time... But other than Nagito and Teruteru, I can't think of anyone else."

"Well, it could've been either of them, or neither of them. Whatever the case, that knife isn't the murder weapon, so it doesn't matter who brought it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Hey... what's this?" Hajime pointed to a large chunk of meat.

Maki followed his gaze. "Oh, Teruteru called that Meat on the Bone. He thought it'd fit the tropical... aesthetic..." She trailed off as she moved closer to Hajime's angle.

The meat had a bone through it, but only on one end. The other end of the meat had a hole through the middle, but no bone stuck out of it.

"Hey, remember that weird blade you found under the floorboards?" Hajime asked her. "How the handle was designed to look like a bone?"

"Yeah... so the secret to making Meat on the Bone is that, the meat is actually a kebab?" She stepped forth and pulled the other bone off of it, and it had a blade-sized hole in the centre, like a sheath. "I'm assuming this went under the gaze of you and Byakuya when you were in here earlier?"

"Yeah, we had no idea. Actually, now that I think about it, Teruteru lied to us. Byakuya said that he couldn't find the last iron skewer that was on the list. Teruteru told us it was missing from the start."

"Hmm..." Maki inspected the dishes for a moment. "I can think of quite a few reasons why he would do that. The only question that raises is... Why did Teruteru bring a skewer with him under the floorboards?"

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Hajime admitted. "But what I want to know is, how did Teruteru get under the floorboards anyway?"

"Save your bad feelings for the trial. C'mon, let's go check out the storage room."

Following her lead, Hajime and Maki went down the hall.

As they entered, Hajime commented, "This storage room is really dusty... and dark."

"Yeah, like Nagito said, he apparently didn't get time to clean this room."

"It even has cobwebs... There's no way I could stay in here for a long time."

Maki rolled her eyes. "Quit being a pussy." With that, she made her way over to three irons that were plugged into the wall. She quickly turned them each off. "I'd bet this is what caused the blackout."

Hajime nodded, taking note. He started looking through a laundry hamper, but didn't find anything of note.

"And I guess this answers your earlier question." She said, kicking over a stack of boxes. Behind it was a small trap door.

"So we know how he got under the floor. Like you said earlier, though, we still don't know why..." Hajime said.

"We can't expect all the answers at once." Maki assured him. "Right now, all we need to focus on is gathering more evidence. We can... can..." She suddenly sneezed. Then, before she could recover, she sneezed again.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. Say, I don't think there's anything else in here. Why don't we step out?"

Hajime rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're right..."

Eventually, the duo found themselves in the office, where Peko remained guarding the duralumin box, and Kazuichi stood nearby. However, what caught their eyes was the circuit breaker, high up on the wall near the ceiling.

"Doesn't look like it was used." Maki commented.

"The circuit breaker is pretty high up." Hajime observed. "Even if you use a stepladder, you won't reach it."

"Yeah, I totally agree..." Kazuichi said. "That's why it's so mysterious... Well, during the blackout, I was panicking so bad I forgot about that, but... you're right. Even with a stepladder, there's no way you'd be able to reach that circuit breaker. Which means, someone must have reset the breaker after the blackout. But who?"

"I did it!" Monokuma announced.

"...Gwaaaaaaah!? IT'S HERE!"

"You idiots had nooooo idea what to do about the blackout, so I'm the one who reset the circuit breaker. Ah, by the way, I'm not the one who tripped the breaker. The killer did that, of course."

"B-But... how did someone as small as you reset the breaker?" Hajime asked.

"Well firstly, my eyes work reaaaaaal good at night, so I have no trouble seeing in the dark. And, if you wanna know how I reached the circuit breaker... My body stretches. You know... I'm very elastic."

"...L-Liar!" Kazuichi snapped.

"I'm serious! Wanna see? Wanna see a version of Monokuma with his body all stretched out? It's gross! It's grotesque!"

"Sorry, that's a hard pass." Maki said.

"Oh really? Such a shame! Still, don'tcha think Monokuma's such a nice guy!? In a popularity contest, he'd take first place!" With that, he disappeared.

"What the hell...?" Kazuichi muttered. "So he's the one who reset the breaker... Well, in that case, I'm convinced. There's no way we'd be able to reach that."

Maki nodded, turning to Peko. "You got any ideas?"

The Swordswoman stared at her for a moment before responding. "I can already tell... You doubt me, correct?"

"Huh?"

"However, it does not surprise me... An unexpected blackout occurred, and during that time, Teruteru was killed. The circuit breaker is in this office... Naturally, I look suspicious since I was supposed to be here."

"Supposed to...? Meaning..."

"So I was right... You weren't in the office." Kazuichi accused. "...But why? Weren't you supposed to guard the circuit breaker and the duralumin case with all the weapons in it? So... where'd you run off to on your own...?"

"Well... that is..." Before she could fully explain, Peko doubled over, clutching her stomach. "...Ugh! Ugh... kh...!"

"...Hey, what happened?" Hajime asked.

"N-No... I am just not feeling too well... I apologize but... e-excuse me..."

""Excuse me"? What was that...?" Kazuichi asked.

Maki simply smiled. "Well, luckily for you, unlike before, the bathroom seems to be unoccupied now."

"...Huh?"

"Tch...! So the path will be short... but treacherous...!" Peko rose and slowly made her way out of the room.

"Wh-What happened... to her...?" Hajime asked.

Maki rolled her eyes at him once again. "Jeez, use some context clues. And here I thought you were pretty good at investigating..."

"I mean, is it cool?" Kazuichi asked. "She didn't like... run away or something? Cause, if she ran away, she's obviously the killer! I'm almost positive!"

"Chill out. Just assume it's a case of the bloody Mondays, alright? More importantly..." She turned to the duralumin case, and produced the key that was in the case in the dining hall. "Let's crack this case wide open."

"Hey... is it okay to take that key without permission...!?" Hajime asked.

"What happens now that I did? You think Byakuya's going to ground me just for investigating?" With that, she unlocked the case and opened the top. Inside were various knives, forks, skewers, and other dangerous tools. "Well... it doesn't seem like anything was taken. I mean, this key was still inside that other case, so Byakuya was the only one with access to this. Besides, the murder weapon is a bunch of fireworks, I doubt they'd fit in here."

"Yeah..."

"Anyways, I assume this wrench is yours, Soda Pop?" She held out the tool to him.

"Oh, yeah, thanks." He took it and pocketed it.

"Just don't bash anyone's brains in, okay? I don't need Byakuya getting on _my_ case for opening _this_ case."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!? I'm not a killer!"

"Yeah, yeah... Well, that's that for in here. C'mon, Hajime, let's get a move on."

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Bidding farewell to Kazuichi, the duo exited out into the hall.

"I think we've pretty much seen everything there is to see in this building." Maki noted. "So now we should expand our horizons a bit further. I want to see how the victims are doing."

"Victims...?"

"Byakuya and Nagito. I want their accounts of what happened in the dark. They were the closest to the scene of the crime at the time."

"Okay. Let's get going." Even though they were investigating, Hajime couldn't shake the feeling that Maki was purposely leading him around to each of the places. Why she was doing so, however, he couldn't guess.

Either way, the two of them headed for the exit of the building.

* * *

Outside, there was a strange sight before them. Chiaki was kneeling near the side of the building, trying to see under the foundation.

"...Hey, what are you doing?" Hajime asked.

"Um... I'm just checking to see if we can get under the floor from here."

"...Under the floor? Why?"

"If it is possible to get under the floor, it'll change our understanding of the murder... I think. So I thought... it was important to check it." With that, she stood up to face them.

Maki nodded. "Sounds logical. It'll reduce our suspect pool, however little. Though you should know, the most likely place the killer got under the building from is the storage room. There's a trap door behind all the boxes."

Chiaki did one last scan of the foundation. "Hmmm... I guess it's not possible to get under the floor from outside. The building is surrounded by firm fences, so there's no way to sneak under the floor from there."

"Well... that's a relief, I guess." Maki decided.

"Relief...? Why?" Hajime asked.

"Because, if the killer got in from outside, there's only one logical suspect. Someone who didn't attend the party, and didn't have an alibi."

"Oh, right... Fuyuhiko."

"I... suspected him, too." Chiaki admitted. "That's why I was checking to see if it was possible to get under the floor from outside. Speaking of which... Not long after I began guarding the entrance... Fuyuhiko came here."

"...Huh? He did?"

"Yeah. We even talked for a bit. But I eventually said something wrong, and he got angry. And then... he just left."

"That sounds like Fuyuhiko alright." Maki remarked.

"So that happened... but... why did he come here?" Hajime wondered.

"...He probably wants to be a part of the group, but he can't be honest about it... He believes he's different from everyone else... That's why he's always alone... He's like the main character of an RPG. Have you played those before?"

"Yeah, well, I can tell you firsthand, a lot of those kids raised in crime families tend to be pretty troubled." Maki told her. "But regardless, since Chiaki was guarding the only entrance, I think it's safe to say that Fuyuhiko has an airtight alibi. So that's one person out of sixteen whose name is cleared."

Saying their goodbyes to Chiaki, they headed across the hotel grounds to their destination. Barring Nekomaru's, Mikan's cottage was the only one with the lights on. Hajime and Maki knocked softly, and Mikan softly called, "Come in!"

As they pushed open the door, they saw that she was busy. Byakuya and Nagito were both awake now, and their burns were covered in some sort of lotion. Nagito sat on the couch, his wounds covered in bandages, and Byakuya, sitting at the edge of the bed, was currently having some applied to his wounds as well.

"Hajime!" Nagito cheered as he saw him enter. "You came to visit me?"

"Well, uh... kinda." He answered. "Maki says we need to collect your testimony for the trial."

"Testimony, huh...?" Byakuya muttered. He looked utterly defeated as he stared at the pile of Monokuma files on a nearby desk. "So it's true, then. Teruteru is really... dead."

Despite her hands working steadily, Mikan's face was a mess. "I-I should've done something... Maybe there was still time...!"

Maki shook her head. "No, his death was almost instant. Even if we had him prepped for surgery immediately, the amount of shrapnel in his body would've made it impossible to save him."

Mikan nodded, but her mood didn't change. "I-I know, but... Why... Wh-Why did this have to happen?"

"That's what I intend to find out. So how about it, boys? What happened to you two before the explosion?"

Byakuya and Nagito exchanged a glance. Byakuya was the first to speak. "Well... I doubt anyone could give a completely accurate account of what happened in the dark. Needless to say, Nagito and I ran into each other, and became somewhat... entangled, near the site of the explosion."

Maki looked to Hajime to gauge his reaction, before turning back to the boys. "You two weren't making out, were you?"

As Byakuya glared at her, Nagito broke out into laughter. "It wasn't like that. It was more like, Byakuya fell on top of me, and because of our size difference, we had a bit of a scuffle. I was trying to get him off of me, and he was trying to get me out from under him."

"Right." Byakuya agreed. "That's all there is to it."

Maki seemed lost in thought. "If you say so..."

"I wish I could help out with the investigation." Nagito said. "But obviously, I'm not in any condition to do that. I'd just end up getting in the way. Is there anyone who's cleared of suspicion, yet?"

"Well, things could always change, but at the moment, Fuyuhiko is looking unlikely. I'd also add you and Byakuya to the list, since I doubt either of you would go anywhere near where the bomb was set if you knew it was there, and you can vouch for each other in the dark. And we could probably add Mikan, too."

"Y-Yeah..." She agreed, finishing up Byakuya's bandages. "I'm too clumsy to commit m-murder..."

"Uh, yeah, there's that, but I also doubt you would've let Byakuya and Nagito live when they were so close to the crime scene. Even though they don't know anything, I doubt anyone would take that chance."

"O-Oh, that makes sense..."

Maki glanced at her watch. "Hajime, there's probably not much time left until the class trial starts."

"...Probably." He agreed.

"Which reminds me, you asked Mahiru for a favour earlier, right?"

"Y-Yeah... I wanted her to find out where everyone was standing just before the blackout... She's probably finished by now. You're coming with me, right?"

She considered it. "No, thanks. I need some time to organize this crime in my head. I'm not exactly a detective, you know, so things like this don't come naturally to me."

"I understand." He told her.

"See you, Hajime."

With that, the boy left the cottage. Maki watched him through the window as he ran into Nekomaru leaving his own cottage, and started speaking with him. Probably gathering his testimony, she thought.

She checked her watch again. It was just past midnight, but it felt like the sun should be rising by now. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Alrighty guys, it's finally time! That's right. It's time for the long-awaited class trial! Now then, I shall tell you all the meeting place. At the central island of Jabberwock Island, there is a mountain with my adorable face carved into it. That, my friends, is Monokuma Rock! Once you're there, please proceed to the underground by taking the elevator located at the secret entrance. Puhuhu, I'll see you soon!"

Maki, along with the other students, all made their way to the meeting place Monokuma had designated. Upon arriving, all the Criminologist could hear was Kazuichi's screams.

"Hey, what the heck is that mountain!? Wh-When did that get there!?"

"That story... that story might be true after all." Peko considered aloud. "There might be an enormous organization involved in all this..."

"For there to be a sculpture of that scale, there would have to be..." Byakuya agreed. It drew the attention of the crowd to him and Nagito.

"Is it alright for you two to be attending this trial in your state?" Sonia asked.

"We don't have a choice." Nagito explained. "Monokuma said that our attendance is mandatory, as long as we can still stand and communicate."

"Indeed..." Byakuya added quietly.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Chiaki asked, "What... happened to Fuyuhiko?"

"N-Now that you mention it... it appears he's not here yet..." Mikan noted.

"Ah, I know! He probably ran away!" Hiyoko teased.

At that moment, Monokuma showed up, dragging Fuyuhiko behind him with an iron grip. "Aw hell naw! There's no way I'd let him escape, you know! Look! I dragged him back over here!"

"I-I'm tellin' you, let me go!"

"Hey now, if you keep acting violent, I might just eat you up."

"Hey Fuyuhiko! What were you doing all this time!?" Mahiru asked.

"Nothing... I wasn't really doing anything. I was just chilling in my room when I suddenly heard that fuckin' pervert got killed... Tch... Who the fuck cares about that anyway?"

"You... How can you say something so irresponsible...!? We've been doing our best to investigate this murder, even though we don't want to, just to survive!"

"Mahiru, that's enough..." Nagito begged. "You too, Fuyuhiko..."

"Tch...! Dumbass...!"

"All right, now that everyone's all together... Let's take the secret entrance to the trial field!"

"P-Please wait a second!" Monomi begged, showing up out of nowhere.

"...My my, Monomi. Just what are you doing here? Nobody asked for you."

"I-I... I...!"

"Hm? Do you actually want to join in? Do you want to taste how powerless you are at the class trial? You're an even bigger masochist than I thought... Oh well! I'm a big brother who dotes on his little sister. I shall allow your special participation! I'll go on ahead and wait for you guys, so hurry over!" With that, he disappeared once again.

"He said to hurry, but... how do we get there?" Kazuichi asked.

"He mentioned something... about a secret entrance, was it...?" Mahiru recalled.

Suddenly, one of the heads on Monokuma Rock started moving, opening it's mouth and emitting a realistic roar.

"Wh-What the...!? Something's... shaking...!?" Hajime yelled.

"Th-This is dangerous!" Monomi warned. "Everyone, please get down!"

Before anyone could react, the head vomited an escalator, which landed right in front of the group. The steps started sliding upwards into the mouth.

"S-Something came out!?" Mikan shrieked.

"Could it be... Is he telling us to enter it?" Peko wondered.

"S-Such a suspicious aura...!" Gundham said. "Even Crimson Steel Elephant Maga-Z is trembling with fear...!"

"Uwaaah! That's so totally suspicious!" Hiyoko said.

"F-Forgive me...!" Kazuichi said to the heavens. "Seriously... just forgive me already...!"

"C-Complaining won't get us anywhere!" Mahiru told them. "If you're really a man, then man up for god's sake! We've come this far... We have no choice but to keep moving forward..."

"You're right..." Hajime agreed. "There's nowhere for us to run... We need to do it..."

"If that's everyone's decision... I'll just follow you guys." Chiaki decided. "If this were a video game, it'd have a very high difficulty level... Let's do our best to clear the game."

With that, everyone began stepping up to the escalator, one by one. While she waited in line, Maki turned to Byakuya and asked, "So, fearless leader, you have any orders for us?"

With a pained expression, he told her, "I've failed you. I have no right to be your leader."

Before she could respond, it was her turn on to board, and the conversation was cut off as she was brought closer and closer to the Monokuma Head. At the top, she found herself entering what appeared to be a large metal cage. Once the last of the students entered, the door shut, and the room began lowering down into the mountain.

"This... is an elevator!" Nekomaru said. "I see...! This entire block is an elevator!"

"Once again... Monokuma is doing what he pleases..." Chiaki said with a sigh.

"However, if he's gone this far and made something like this... I don't think he's playing around." Peko decided.

"Even so, we're goin' pretty deep." Akane noted.

"You're right..." Hajime said.

The students remained in silence as the elevator continued its dark descent into the underbelly of Jabberwock Island. Maki could feel her heart hammer in her chest, but she dared not show her anxiety to any of the others. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the elevator came to a stop.

"Okayyy! Welcome!" Monokuma greeted as everyone stepped out into the trial room. Sixteen podiums stood in a circle, facing each other. Off to the side, Monokuma sat upon a raised throne as the judge. "This is the class trial field! How do you like it? It's a special place that will decide your fates!"

Fuyuhiko rolled his eyes as he looked around. "Tch... what the hell is he thinking...!? Locking us in a shitty-looking place like this...! Are you fuckin' crazy!? Don't mess with me, asshole!"

"Puhuhu... Complain all you like, I'm used to it by now. C'mon, you're wasting your time and energy. Hurry up and take your seats where your names are written!"

Everyone decided not to resist, and made their way around the ring, looking for their names. Maki herself found her name on the plaque at the podium between Sonia and Peko, directly across the ring from Fuyuhiko. She steeled her nerves. She new the truth of this case, but whether or not she could get her classmates to believe in that truth, that was the question. Regardless... no one would be leaving this room without some blood being spilled.

And so, the curtain rose on... A trial for life, and a judgement of death... Deception in life, and treachery in death... Betrayal for life, and betrayal for death... The riddles of life, and the mystery of death... Justification for life, and rationalization of death... Faith in life, and trust in death... A life or death... Class Trial!

* * *

**Well, this is it. The first trial. Maki seems to know the truth, but will she be able to lead the rest of the students to the same conclusion? I also must wonder how many of you readers will be able to guess. For this first trial, the mystery probably isn't too hard to solve.**

**In the next one, we will begin the class trial to discover who killed Teruteru Hanamura.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Ugh, jeez, sorry. I took a little longer than I thought I would. I had a busy couple of weeks, and on top of all of that, writer's block hit me like a truck and sapped me of my energy. This isn't the first time I fought with the block, but it is probably the worst timing in which I've had to deal with it. Either way, not trying to make an excuse, just saying. I hope this chapter still reads alright despite my struggle.**

**In any case, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, whether for the trials or in general, feel free to let me know. I'm still learning, so any advice would be appreciated.**

**With all that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Trial By Fire**

**CLASS TRIAL! ALL RISE!**

Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for "whodunnit." If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone _besides _the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this island!"

"S-Such a cruel rule...!" Monomi whined. She was hanging from the ceiling of the trial room by a rope tied around her torso. She was suspended just to the left of Monokuma's throne.

"Before we begin, I'd like to confirm one thing." Nagito cut in. "Is there really a killer among us?"

"Most definitely... There's no doubt that the blackened is lurking among you. Such a sad state of affairs, isn't it? By the way, this class trial is gonna be 100 percent fair, so there's no need to worry. I'm the type who hates favouritism and prejudice... Well, not as much as I hate Monomi, of course."

"You hate me that much!?"

"Now let's begin!"

"Y-You're telling us to begin... but what are we supposed to do?" Mikan asked.

"No complainin', let's just settle this with our fists!" Akane suggested.

"Were you even listening to the rules!?" Kazuichi asked.

"Didn't Teruteru get killed in the dining hall, huh?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Then everyone there is a fuckin' suspect."

"Yeah yeah. What you're really trying to say is that you're not the killer, right?" Mahiru said.

"No shit... You guys went off on your own and started killing each other. This has nothing to do with me..."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Anyway," Maki interrupted before the bickering started again. "let's focus on what is probably the most pressing issue in everyone's minds."

"The most pressing issue?" Kazuichi asked.

"The location of the body, of course. I'm sure none of us were expecting to find Teruteru under the floorboards, after all."

"Then... let's start with that mystery." Chiaki agreed.

Hajime took a feep breath. _The reason why Teruteru's body was discovered under the dining hall floor... We can start with that... But ultimately, we need to find out who murdered him... If we can't do that... _He shook his head. _No... Thinking about "if" is a waste of time. We have to do this... No matter what!_

"Why was Teruteru's body in a place like that?" Nagito wondered.

"His body was underneath the floor, at the very back of the dining hall." Gundham recalled.

"After the killer murdered Teruteru... they probably moved the body there." Kazuichi guessed.

"No, that's wrong!" Hajime interjected. "No... I don't think the killer moved the body."

"...Huh? Why?"

"As I've mentioned countless times during the investigations, Teruteru's cause of death was the explosion." Maki explained for him. "However, unlike Byakuya and Nagito, his body was completely covered in burns, and riddled with shrapnel. Therefore, we can surmise that he was much closer than the other two victims."

"So that's why you think it's impossible that the killer moved the body... I see, I get your point." Mahiru said.

"Arghhh! And here I thought I had a genius idea!" Kazuichi grumbled.

"Too bad you're sooooo stupid and boring and unpopular!" Hiyoko shot with a laugh. "Your life is meaningless!"

"I-I respond better to praise, you know!"

"But if the killer didn't move the body, why was it under the floor?" Ibuki wondered.

"Teruteru was probably killed... under the floor." Hajime explained.

"What...? You think he was killed under the floor!?" Nekomaru shouted.

"So Teruteru snuck under the building for reasons unknown, and that's when the explosion went off... Then, shortly thereafter, we found his body under the floor." Nagito clarified.

"Th-That does make sense, but... Why did he go under the floor?"

"The reason why is most likely connected to his actions during the party, don't you think?" Maki asked.

"It probably has something to do with the skewer we found under the floor." Hajime guessed.

"Skewer...?" Byakuya repeated, suddenly alarmed.

"Teruteru kept the skewer hidden from us, and probably brought it with him under the floor..." He explained.

"He was particularly sensitive when Byakuya compared his tools to weapons, so I cannot deny that possibility..." Gundham admitted. "But for what reason would he have went under the building, and with a skewer, no less?"

"I can think of one possibility." Maki said. "Although... well, I don't wish to speak ill of the dead, but I believe that Teruteru may have been planning a murder of his own."

Quite a few students were taken aback at the idea. However, just as many seemed to consider it a very real possibility.

"Maki, do you have any proof for this claim?" Byakuya asked.

"I'm afraid it's just speculation on my part. But the spot where he was found wasn't covered by carpet, and the skewer's blade would have fit through the floorboards. Ultimately, however, the "why" of Teruteru's behaviour isn't as important as the "what," and it's undeniable that Teruteru and the skewer were both discovered beneath the floor of the building."

"You... have a point." Peko admitted.

"But... where do we go from here?" Kazuichi asked. "I mean, how does knowing where the body was tell us who killed them?"

"It doesn't on its own, but it's important to establish a base before jumping to conclusions." Maki explained. "For now, I think we should interrogate the two people closest to the scene of the crime. Byakuya, Nagito, you have the floor."

"Huh? Us?" Nagito asked. "I thought we already explained that we had no idea what was going on during the blackout."

"Yeah." Byakuya agreed. "We simply ran into each other near the location of the blast. Anyone could have ended up in our place."

"No, that's wrong!" Hajime shot. "Byakuya, that excuse doesn't work. After all, you were probably the only one who was able to see in the dark. If you used those night-vision goggles we found near the hole in the floor, you could've seen what was happening."

Byakuya seemed to recoil. However, before the argument could continue, Mahiru cut in.

"Your reasoning is out of focus! That's obviously wrong! It should be the other way around!"

"O-Other way around...?" Hajime repeated.

"Seriously, the killer used those night-vision goggles, not Byakuya! If you just use common sense, the killer obviously used those night-vision goggles! That's gotta be it!"

"Where's your proof that the killer used them?"

"Because, if they used night-vision goggles, then they could've killed Teruteru, even in the dark! I mean, in reality, that's what happened. So, those goggles were planned in advance. The killer... brought them to the crime scene!"

"No, Byakuya was definitely the one who brought those night-vision goggles." Hajime asserted.

"D-Definitely...? But why!?"

"Inside the duralumin case Byakuya had with him during the party... we found a smaller case for storing the night-vision goggles."

"Which means we can assume that the night-vision goggles were kept inside that duralumin case as well..." Ibuki realized. "Wahoo! I said "assume!" Ibuki never uses such clever language!"

"Plus, Byakuya was the only one who could've taken the night-vision goggles out of the case... since he was carrying it around before the blackout in the first place." Hajime continued.

"I see... When you put it like that, it makes sense..."

"So how about it, Byakuya?" Maki asked. "How did you run into Nagito when you had perfect vision?"

"...Just because I could see doesn't mean I was completely aware of my surroundings. Nagito ran into me as I was putting on the night-vision goggles, and caught me off guard. After all, he couldn't see anything, himself."

"Sorry, Byakuya, but that doesn't make sense, either." Hajime said.

"What do you mean? Why doesn't it make sense?"

"To show that, all I need is one piece of evidence. Mahiru's diagram."

"The diagram of where everyone was standing before the blackout, right? Um... here it is..." Mahiru pulled out a slip of paper and unfolded it.

For most of the students, there wasn't much to gleam from the mess of names dotting the dining hall. However, those with a more keen eye were able to notice that Byakuya was across the room from where Nagito was standing, near where the duralumin case was discovered after the lights came back on.

"See, Byakuya? There's no way you could've "stumbled" into Nagito in the dark." Hajime said. "You've been lying to us this entire time, haven't you!?"

"I-I..." The Affluent Progeny stumbled on his words.

"But... why would Byakuya lie to us?" Sonia asked.

"Could it be!? Is he the killer!?" Ibuki shrieked.

"N-No, I'm not!" He swore when he saw everyone's suspicious glares on him.

"Byakuya, just tell us the truth." Maki told him. "Who are you protecting?"

"I... I..." Finally, the boy sighed. "...The last thing I wanted was to cause a panic..."

"...Huh?"

"If you all promise that this won't lead to chaos, that you will all think rationally about this before starting a witch hunt, then I'll tell you."

"What the hell...? You're in no position to be making demands, fatass!" Fuyuhiko spat.

"Yeah, if you don't tell us what we need to know, we're all gonna die!" Hiyoko agreed.

"...Fine, you're right. I'll give you my testimony. During the blackout, I immediately opened my duralumin case and grabbed for the night-vision goggles. Upon turning them on, I could see everyone stumbling around and tripping over each other. But beyond all of that, I could see one person who was coordinated. He was using the power cord of the table lamp at the back of the room to move toward a table. Of course, I found this suspicious, and assumed the individual was the one who planned the blackout. And so, I took action, and charged forward, manoeuvring through the crowd as necessary. When I got to him, he was already under the table. However, I was quick enough to tackle him and pull him out. That's when the explosion occurred."

"And that person... he was Nagito, wasn't he?" Maki guessed. "He's the one you were protecting."

Byakuya's expression was pained. "Yes, he was. And yes, I was."

Nagito was suddenly surprised. "Wait, Byakuya, you're not accusing me, are you!?"

"I have no evidence for my claim, but I saw what I saw. I'll admit I never saw you actually kill someone, but your actions were nonetheless very suspicious."

"I agree with that!" Hajime said. "Byakuya, the table you happened to find Nagito crawling toward, you said it was the one that had the lamp on top of it, right?"

"Yes, that's right. The one just beneath the air conditioner."

"Well, you should also know that that table was knocked over by the explosion, and Maki and I checked it out during our investigation. Imagine our surprise when we found a knife taped to the underside of the table, covered in glowing paint!"

"Th-That's just a coincidence!" Nagito argued. "I was just using the power cord to find my bearings, I didn't know there was a knife under the table!"

"But still... you had a chance, right?" Chiaki asked. "A chance to hide the knife under the table..."

"Nagito... Weren't you cleaning the dining hall all morning?" Hajime asked. "If so... you would've had a chance to hide the knife!"

"Th-That's...!"

"-also true of the blackout as well, right?" Maki finished for him.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Mikan asked.

"Well, given the height of the circuit breaker in the office, I imagine the killer couldn't just trip it. In fact, we already know that they caused the blackout through a power surge. And they started with the three irons in the storage room."

"When we found them right after the blackout, the irons were still on, right?" Hajime asked.

"So by leaving those irons on in the storage room, they deliberately caused a power surge." Mahiru realized.

"Yeah, it seems that's how the killer cause the blackout..." Hajime decided.

"STUPID FOOL!" Nekomaru roared. "Hold on a second! Let me speak too!"

"Wh-What the heck...?" Hajime jumped.

"You say the irons in the storage room were used to trigger the blackout...? THAT'S INEXCUSABLE! If the irons in the storage room caused the blackout, then for the killer to turn the irons on, you're saying they went all the way to the storage room? Then that means everyone who was in the dining hall when the blackout occurred can't be a suspect!"

"No, just because people were in the dining hall doesn't mean they're not a suspect!"

"But the people in the dining hall weren't able to cause the blackout! If the irons caused the blackout-"

"The irons are just one reason the blackout occurred, but they weren't the direct trigger... The direct trigger was when the air conditioners in the dining hall and office clicked on." Hajime finished.

"A-AIR CONDITIONERRRRRRRRRRRS!?"

"The timers for both air conditioners were set to 11:30 p.m."

"11:30 p.m... Teruteru died around that time, too!" Hiyoko pointed out.

"I see... When the timers activated the air conditioners, the breaker was tripped and caused a blackout." Nekomaru realized. "I see! I understand! Indubitably!"

"...Indubitably!?" Sonia repeated.

"Nagito probably checked the old building's energy usage in advance, and used the irons to nearly max it out." Maki explained. "Once he set the air conditioners timers, all he had to do was wait for the ensuing power surge."

"H-Hang on!" Nagito argued.

"If so, he would've had ample opportunity to set up this power surge!" Sonia realized. "Indubitably!"

""Indubitably"? Miss Sonia, not you too!?" Kazuichi gasped.

"Regarding the energy usage... He probably asked Monokuma about it." Chiaki guessed, glancing at the bear.

"Dun-dun-dunnn!"

"Is she right!?" Monomi asked. "What a hateful bear... You deserve to die a thousand deaths...!"

"A thousand, you say? If I died that many times... I might really stay dead, you know..."

"Shut up!" Mahriu demanded. "You guys just stay quiet!"

"If you factor in Byakuya's testimony and the time you spent cleaning, you're the only one who could've done it!" Hajime accused, pointing at Nagito.

"S-Seriously, that's all just a coincidence!"

"If it was just one coincidence, it'd be fine... But when it's one right after another... I wonder... Is something like that even possible?" Chiaki asked.

"Could it be...? Did you give yourself cleaning duty on purpose so you could hide the knife under the table...?" Mahiru asked.

"Now that you mention it... Nagito did prepare the drawing to pick who cleaned the dining hall..." Nekomaru recalled.

"You rigged the drawing, didn't you? That's how you got picked to clean the dining hall, isn't it?"

"I don't know if you're the killer or not, but... Regardless, it proves that you're suspicious, right?" Chiaki pressed.

"Gh... gh-gh...!" Nagito appeared to be trying to argue, but any words he attempted to say were choked up in his throat.

"Well? Just admit it already!" Mahiru demanded.

"Nagito, c'mon." Maki pressed. "If we're to reach the truth, we can't have you freezing up now."

"Ngh... ngh...!"

"Nagito, tell me you object to this..." Hajime begged. "Frankly, I don't want to believe it either... You're the first person I met here... You were so kind... I can't believe that you're the one who killed Teruteru..."

"Ngh... nghhhh...!"

"Nagito! Say something!"

"Ngh... nghhhhhhhhhh...!" Suddenly, Nagito's friendly demeanour melted away as a twisted grin spread across his face. "Aha...! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! The Ultimates are working together to combat the despair of their friend's death! Ah, how wonderful, how beautiful it is!"

"...Huh?" The part that disturbed Hajime most, however, was when he made eye contact with Nagito. His eyes hid a swirling pool of darkness and negativity, but also a bright light of determination and optimism. It was a crude mixture of hope and despair, like oil and water being stirred eternally.

"Let's cut to the chase... You're correct! It was my doing all along! I'm the one who hid the knife under the table before the party started. I'm the one who used the power cord to find my way to the table in the dark. And of course, I'm the one who caused the blackout. After all, there's no way I'd knowingly whip out a knife in front of everyone, right?"

"I-Is it just me or... does he seem a little nuts right now?" Ibuki asked.

"But... I never expected Byakuya to have night-vision goggles... Because of that, we had ourselves a little scuffle under the table... and, well, you all saw how that played out." He gestured to his and the other boy's injuries. But with a twist ending like this, I think we can all agree this ended up being a very interesting mystery. Hahaha! Teruteru performed admirably!"

"J-Just stop it already...!" Kazuichi demanded. "Seriously... what the hell happened to you!?"

"Don't tell me... Is this your true nature?" Mahiru guessed. "Were you lying to us this entire time?"

"Me, lie!? That's outrageous! There's no way someone like me could ever lie to you guys! I understand better than anyone else that I'm ultimately worthless. I'm too arrogant to have dreams or cling to hope... I'm too disdainful to actually try at anything... I've made peace with the fact that I'm a lowly, stupid, insignificant human who can't do anything right."

"Holy crap!" Ibuki shouted. "He's _totally _the type of guy who spent his childhood killing neighbourhood pets!"

"He seems like the sort of person whose eyes light up while watching "Friday the 13th"... Just like me." Sonia agreed.

"Th-That's quite the hobby you have there... But, like, now's not really the time to bring it up..." Kazuichi said.

"Nagito... If you were really behind all of this, then did you also send that threatening letter?" Byakuya asked.

"Threatening letter?" Maki repeated.

He nodded. "The true reason I decided to throw a party was because... I had received a threatening letter under my door earlier this morning. Someone wrote to tell me that "the first kill will happen tonight. Someone will definitely kill someone." I threw the party in an attempt to dissuade them."

"So was the someone Nagito?" Akane asked.

"Nobody besides Monokuma would write such a dumb, threatening letter like that..." Hiyoko said.

"Wasn't me!" The bear answered.

"...Are you sure?" Monomi asked.

"The only lies I tell are friendly lies!"

"Those are still lies!"

"It doesn't matter who wrote it yet... So, Byakuya, you became paranoid because of this threatening letter?" Peko asked.

"Yes. As I've mentioned, the party was my attempt to prevent the murder. By gathering everyone in one place, I tried to create a situation where everyone could keep tabs on each other. In doing so, the writer of the letter should've been in a situation where they couldn't act."

"But the letter might've just been a little prank..." Kazuichi pointed out.

"As the leader of this group, I could not- I _would _not- take that risk. I had to treat even a small prank as a full-scale emergency."

"Tch...! You should've told us you received a threatening letter...!" Nekomaru told him.

"If I had, you would have panicked and done something stupid. That would have been a worst-case scenario."

"So... you tried to do something about it without telling anyone?" Sonia asked.

"Tch! Screw that noise! Who the hell wrote that letter!?" Akane asked.

"Yeah, Akane raises a fair point." Maki agreed. "If it was Nagito, then that brings us one step closer to wrapping everything up."

"So, Nagito, do you object?" Byakuya asked. "Did you write the letter or not?"

"Yep. I sure did. There's nobody else on this island whose handwriting is _that _painful to look at, right?"

"But why would you send a threatening letter in the first place?" Hiyoko asked.

"I think... somewhere deep in my heart... I was probably hoping to find someone who would stop my evil deeds... Well, I bet if that really was my reason, at least some of you would feel sorry for me."

"Are you makin' fun of us!?" Akane asked.

"By threatening Byakuya, Nagito was able to manipulate his actions." Chiaki said. "In doing so, Nagito was able to manipulate everyone to the scene where the murder would occur... Am I wrong?"

"I was... Manipulated?" Byakuya asked.

"That reminds me... Nagito was the one who suggested I guard the office." Peko recalled.

"Oh, I get it." Hiyoko realized. "If Peko was guarding the storage room, Nagito wouldn't have been able to use the irons."

"The threatening letter, along with all your suggestions... It was all a trap to manipulate us." Peko accused.

"Yep, that's true too!" Nagito congratulated. "...But you're wrong about one thing."

"H-Huh? Wh-Wh-What...?" Mikan asked.

"I didn't need to rig the drawing for cleaning duty, you know."

"If that's true, then how did you conveniently get picked for cleaning duty!?" Mahiru asked.

"I see... Well, there's no way I'd expect you to remember it. A worthless talent for a worthless human..."

"You're the Ultimate Lucky Student..." Hajime recalled. "Then... did you...!?"

"That's right. I just trusted my luck. I trusted I'd be picked for cleaning duty."

"Y-You just relied on your luck?"

"It's not _just _luck... It's true my talent sucks, but I'm still the Ultimate Lucky Student, you know? At the time, Hajime said I wasn't lucky... But it was actually the opposite... I _was _lucky! That's why I got picked for cleaning duty, just like I wanted!"

"...E-Enough..." Hajime said. "That... I don't care about that anymore... More importantly, why did you kill Teruteru!? Answer me!"

"Teruteru was someone who didn't have a lot of people's respect. It's only after his death that you all realize how poorly you've treated him... Oh, the despair such a realization brings... It's only fitting that you symbols of hope should use his death as a stepping stone to shine even brighter. That was my only motivation!"

"Y-You're not making any sense!" Nekomaru said.

"It's fine... Let's start the damn vote already!" Fuyuhiko demanded. "I'm ready to fucking kill this psycho!"

"Please, Monokuma!" Ibuki shouted.

"_Wait!_" Maki called out, interrupting everyone else. "Nothing's been decided."

"...Huh? The fuck?"

"Just because Nagito confessed doesn't mean he's really the killer." She explained. "In fact, given how quickly he confessed, and how many loose threads still remain, I'd say his confession only proves that he's _not _the killer."

"Loose threads? What do you mean?" Byakuya asked.

"Well, for example... How did Nagito kill Teruteru with the knife?"

"Um... Wouldn't he just need to stab him?" Hiyoko asked.

"No, that wouldn't work." Hajime argued. "Remember, earlier we talked about how Teruteru was killed by the explosion. A combination of the burns, shrapnel, and shockwave all caused him to die."

"I personally inspected the corpse myself, so I can confirm these facts." Maki assured them.

"Hey, that better be true! If you screwed up, I'll sell your fuckin' ass to a whorehouse!" Fuyuhiko threatened.

She simply rolled her eyes. "Additionally, the knife Nagito supposedly used had no blood on it, despite the glowing paint still remaining. Combine this with the fact that Teruteru was under the floor, well out of the knife's reach, and it leaves little room for doubt of Nagito's innocence. Well, innocent on the charge of murder, at least."

"I see what you're saying, Maki..." Nagito nodded. "As long as we can't prove that the knife is the murder weapon, we can't assume that I'm the killer."

"Wh-What are you saying...!?" Mahiru asked. "No one else can be the killer! It has to be you!"

"No, it really doesn't." Maki replied calmly. "In fact, along with Byakuya, he probably has the strongest alibi."

"Th-That's true..." Byakuya admitted. "There was no way he could have set off an explosive during our struggle."

"Well, your guess is as good as mine." Nagito said. "I don't know about anything that happened after the explosion. Next thing I knew, I woke up in Mikan's cottage. Before I realized it, everyone was going on about how Teruteru was murdered."

"H-Hold on!" Mahiru demanded. "Are you saying you're _not _the killer?"

"From the very beginning, the idea to throw a party... Hiding the knife, setting up the blackout... It was all going according to plan... But unfortunately, my plan failed. And all thanks to Byakuya's night-vision goggles. What happened after that... even I don't know."

"Y-You failed...? Th-Then you're not the one who killed Byakuya?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Th-Then we're right back to square one!" Hiyoko shrieked.

"How can that be!? We've spent all this time talking back and forth!" Nekomaru shouted, throwing up his hands.

"Meaninglessness... What other word is brimming with so much despair?" Nagito wondered. "But you can't give up! You need to have hope, do your best, and move forward! Rising to the challenge again and again is why you guys are the symbols of hope!"

"No, that's wrong!" Maki shouted. "It's not meaningless! Because I will find the answer. And not because of any of your bullshit ideologies revolving around hope, but because I refuse to die here. And as long as we live on, our friends' deaths will not be in vain, they won't be meaningless!"

"Well, what now?" Nagito asked. "If the knife isn't the murder weapon, there's no definitive proof that I'm the killer."

"No, but we should be able to figure out who triggered the explosion through some simple deduction." She explained. "But before that, we need to figure out _how _the explosion was triggered. Hajime, we already know the answer to that, right?"

"...You're talking about the rope that was tied to the door of the dining hall, right?" He guessed.

"A rope, you say?" Gundham asked.

"Maki and I found this thin rope with a hook on the end, and it was hooked onto the bottom door hinge of the dining hall doors." He explained.

"I see... but how does that relate to the explosion, exactly?" Peko asked.

"The rope went from the door hinge straight down through the gaps in the floorboards. What's more, the other end appeared to be tied to the fireworks machine that we believe was used as the murder weapon."

"That all makes sense..." Mahiru agreed. "But how could the rope act as the trigger? It's not like the rope has any sensors in it, right?"

"It works just fine." Maki said. "It's one of the most ancient forms of traps; a tripwire. When the door, or in this case, its hinge moved, so did the rope, and the fireworks machine detected it, and was told to fire its rockets. Hajime didn't notice it in his investigation, since I moved him away from it, but there was also a wire that was plugged into a battery-powered generator hidden in the darkness, and a small timer/trigger mechanism attaching the rope to the machine."

"Hang on, Maki..." Hajime interrupted. "We inspected that area together, and you didn't bring that up to me at all. How do you know all this? And what do you mean you moved me away from it?"

"I mean just that; I moved you away from the fireworks machine by drawing your attention to something else. To answer your other question..." She hesitated for a moment. "I know because I set the trap. I'm the one who set up that explosive."

"Wh-What!?" Nekomaru shouted.

"Is Maki secretly crazy like Nagito!?" Ibuki shrieked.

"Are you serious!?" Byakuya asked. "You were the one who-!?"

"How interesting..." Nagito mused. "I would never have guessed that you were the one who did it."

"Wait, does that mean Maki's the killer?" Mahiru asked, turning to Monokuma.

He giggled to himself. "Of course I wouldn't make it that easy! Look at it this way, if Maki loaded a gun with bullets, but someone else took that gun and shot Teruteru, would I consider Maki the blackened, then?"

"N-No... obviously, the killer would be the one who shot him..." Mikan answered.

"So that's what Maki meant when she said we have to find out how the fireworks were triggered." Chiaki said.

"Precisely." Maki agreed. "Because the how will lead us to the who, to the killer."

"But why?" Byakuya asked. "What were you thinking, bringing something so dangerous to such a crowded place?"

"He's right. Given how many things could have gone wrong, we're lucky only three of us were caught in the blast." Peko scolded.

"You think I don't know that?" Maki snapped. "But I had to do something. I couldn't just let Nagito do what he wanted. It's not like I knew Teruteru was going to crawl under the floor and stick his face in front of my trap. I made sure the fireworks were still weak enough that they wouldn't kill anyone above the floor, and hey, look at that, Byakuya and Nagito are both alive. There wasn't one second I was making this plan that I thought about using this for murder."

"So you discovered Nagito when he was setting up his murder plan?" Sonia asked. "But why didn't you tell anyone?"

"For the same reason Byakuya tried to stick up for Nagito at the start. I didn't want to cause a panic and have everyone wanting to kill him. Teruteru and I both discovered him, but decided to keep quiet for that reason. But I thought with my plan, while it would cause a bit of a stir, everyone would eventually move on from it, and Nagito would be injured for a while and hopefully wouldn't try anything sinister. Obviously, Teruteru's involvement screwed that up."

"But where did you even find something like that, anyway?" Hiyoko asked. "Do they have tripwires at the supermarket?"

"No, the supermarket merely supplied the require parts, and my mechanical skills do leave something to be desired. So in order to set this trap, I required a little help from Kazuichi." In an instant, every pair of eyes in the courtroom fell on the Mechanic, who had gone noticeably quiet during this topic of discussion.

"Kazuichi, is this true...?" Byakuya asked.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! She told me she was gonna hook up the tripwire to an alarm, I didn't know anything about any fireworks!"

"He's right, I avoided telling him anything that might scare him off the plan. He's innocent in this." Maki defended.

"Right. I just thought everything would be a little safer." Kazuichi explained. When the realization hit him, he eyed the floor sadly. "I didn't think it would end up killing someone."

"Anyway, this is all well and good, but I wish to remind everyone that we need to find out who triggered the trap, not who built it or set it up or any other inane details." Maki insisted.

"You're right." Chiaki agreed. "But there is one other thing I want to know about how the tripwire works. How did you make sure it didn't go off too early? Teruteru was going in and out through the door multiple times before the blackout, after all."

"Oh, that's easy." Kazuichi said. "I turned my alarm clock into a timer and attached it to the trigger, which I guess Maki plugged into the fireworks machine. You can set the timer for whenever you want, up to twelve hours, and no matter how much the rope moves, it won't go off until the timer runs out first."

"Yeah, I made sure the timer was set so that it would go off at exactly 11:30, the same time Nagito's blackout would occur." Maki explained. "I didn't want it to go off before that. So the answer to this mystery is, whoever was the first to open the door after the blackout started is the killer, and they didn't even know it until just now."

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered that, looking suspiciously around the room. Monokuma's quiet laughter only accentuated how twisted the idea was.

"So..." Byakuya started. "In order to figure out who the killer is, we have to figure out what happened in the dark. I'm afraid I wasn't paying much attention to the doorway during my struggle with Nagito."

"Nobody can see in the dark..." Nagito said. "No matter how hard you think about it, the truth is beyond your sight... Don't you think that's a pretty clever metaphor, despite the fact that it came from me?"

"No, that's not it." Hajime argued.

"...Not it? What's not it?"

"Even if we couldn't see what was happening in the dark... I'm pretty sure someone could've heard it... Isn't that right, Ibuki?"

"Fo' reeeeaaaalz!?" The Musician shouted.

"You were the one who told me, remember? How everyone was shouting during the blackout..."

_"Uwah! It's a blackout!" Mahiru shouted._

_"Hey, I can't see anything!" Kazuichi shrieked._

_"I-It's pitch black! My future is pitch black!" Ibuki shouted melodramatically._

_"E-Everyone, calm down! We gotta stay calm in a situation like this!" Mahiru told everyone._

_"Waaaah! Don't step on my feet!" Hiyoko screamed._

_"Ah! S-Sorry!" Maki apologized._

_"H-Hold on a sec! I'll go along the wall and... do something about it...!" Kazuichi shouted over everyone else._

_"What the hell!? What's going on here!?" Byakuya asked. "Th-This is...!"_

_"Ow!" Nagito yelped._

"Such perceptive hearing!" Nagito praised. "Impressive! I'd expect no less from the Ultimate Musician!"

"It's a good thing your ears are awesome because your face, style, figure, and personality totally suck." Hiyoko shot.

"Tahaa! You've cut me deep with your knife of truth!" Ibuki cried.

"However, how does this help us pinpoint the killer?" Peko asked. "Unless you also know at what point the door was opened?"

Maki shook her head. "You're forgetting one crucial fact. The explosion would've had to occur the instant after the door opened. Nobody would've heard a creaky hinge over that shockwave, but we can still infer that that's the moment the killer did it."

"We still ain't any closer to finding the killer!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "We already know murder happened at the same time as the door opening. What we need to know is who the fuck opened it!"

Maki scanned the group, shaking her head and sighing. "Well, at least I know the level of intelligence I'm working with... Just wish it were a little higher."

"No, I know the answer." Hajime said. "It's right there, plain as day. The killer... is you!" He pointed across the courtroom.

He felt bad making the accusation, especially when the other person didn't even know they were the killer. But in order to survive, they had to play by Monokuma's twisted rules. And so, Hajime's finger pointed across the courtroom, directly toward...

...Kazuichi Soda.

"Kazuichi... Could it be you?"

The Mechanic paused, staring at the finger in his face, before taking a step back and raising his hands. "Huh!? What!? What are you talking about!?"

"K-Kazuichi's the killer... Is that true!?" Mahiru asked.

"N-No! Of course not! I can't be the killer!" He argued.

"Of course, that's simply my assumption, so if you have an objection, please speak freely." Hajime continued.

"You can't just expect me to have an objection ready!" He shrieked. "Besides, why do I have to be the killer?"

"Because... you were the one who opened the door."

"What...?"

"Everyone, remember what Kazuichi said during the blackout. "I'll go along the wall and... do something about it...!" In the middle of a blackout, the only thing he could really do was find the circuit breaker. But there is no circuit breaker in the dining hall. Kazuichi would have needed to leave the room, but the only exit was already rigged to blow."

"H-Hey, just because I said I was gonna do something, doesn't mean I did it! I'm a screw-up sometimes, alright?"

"I agree." Maki said sadly. "But I'm afraid this might actually be your biggest screw-up yet."

"Wh-What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm sorry, Soda Pop. I don't know if there's really anyone we can fault for this killing, but by Monokuma's rules, this is the truth of this case. I don't even need evidence to prove that you're the one who opened the door. All I need is everyone's account. Do you guys recall who it was the used the fire extinguisher to put out the flames from the explosion?"

"It was... Kazuichi, wasn't it?" Akane recalled.

"Yes, I believe that was the case." Peko agreed.

"I... also remember that..." Sonia admitted.

"Well, Kazuichi?" Maki asked. "If there was anyone ahead of you when you were leaving the dining hall, feel free to make an accusation."

"I...I-I... I didn't want this to happen..." He whimpered. "...I didn't know the door was gonna make Teruteru explode... I didn't know any of this was gonna happen... I just... panicked... alright?"

Nagito sighed. "Jeez, what a disappointment... I didn't expect an Ultimate like you to give up so easily. Can you really call that hope?"

"Hey Nagito... I'm sorry but can you just be quiet?" Chiaki asked. He obliged, quieting down instantly.

"Kazuichi, we're going to go over the entire case one more time." Maki told him. "When you're ready... just let us know, okay?"

"S-Sure... Whatever..."

_Go over the entire incident..._ Hajime thought. _And then, I can reveal the truth of this tragedy... That's right... if we don't do that, we can't end this no matter how much time passes._ "So... we need to do it!

"Let's try going over the whole incident, beginning with right after the party started... Byakuya had us gather in the dining hall of the old building near the hotel. He was extra cautious about a murder occurring that night because of a threatening letter he received. Therefore, he decided to throw a party so he could monitor us. Though one person didn't come, the rest of us assembled at the dining hall... and the party was underway. But, at that time, the whole building was already a minefield of traps, all set in motion.

"The first person's trap involved three irons plugged into the outlets in the storage room, which nearly capped the power usage... Additionally, they prepared something else that would activate at 11:30 p.m... The air conditioners in the office and dining hall. They had already set the timers for these. Thanks to the irons maxing out the power usage, the breaker was tripped when the air conditioners kicked on. Since the windows in the old building were covered, the blackout plunged the dining hall into total darkness.

"But when that happened, Byakuya took out a specific item that he brought in his case. That item... was the night-vision goggles. Byakuya was so concerned about a murder occurring that he brought a variety of security equipment with him. When he put on his night-vision goggles, Byakuya witnessed a certain someone making a suspicious move... He saw Nagito guiding himself with the desk lamp's power cord so he could get under the table. That's right. Everything up to that point was all part of Nagito's plan. The murder warning to Byakuya, the source of the blackout... It was all Nagito.

"While the blackout was happening, someone else began making their move in the kitchen. Teruteru already knew about Nagito's plan, so he knew a blackout was coming... That's why he prepared what he needed for his plan, a weapon to stop Nagito. This had been hidden in the kitchen beforehand. The long iron skewer used in the churrasco dish. He hid that inside that meat with the bone on it. Somehow, he managed to find his way down the hall and to the storage room, and snuck under the floorboards through the secret passage. What he couldn't see in the darkness under the floor, however, was that the area he was in was trapped, and ready to blow.

"Above the floor, the entire crowd in the dining hall was in a panic. Maki tried, but failed, to get to the door, where a trap of her own would be triggered. The one who beat her there was the true killer, whether they wished to be or not. In their panic, they couldn't possibly have guessed what would have happened when they left the room. But there's only one person who could have possibly triggered that trap, the final trap of the evening...

"Isn't that right... Kazuichi Soda? That's what happened... How about it? Did I get anything wrong?"

Kazuichi was shivering in his spot. "N-No... that all sounds right. It was a trap. I-I was trapped. I never wanted to come to this island... I never wanted to kill anyone... I just... want to go home..." He didn't say anything else, but it was clear to the rest of the students that he had so much more to say. He just didn't have the time.

"It seems... this is the end." Peko decided.

"Puhuhu... it looks like your argument has come to a close." Monokuma announced. "Let's move on to the nerve-wracking voting time! Now then, please pull the lever in front of you and cast your vote. Oh, just a reminder... Make triple sure you vote for someone! If you don't vote... I can't promise you won't end up like little Teruteru."

"Ughhh...! Wh-Why did this happen...!?" Monomi cried.

"Who will be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? Puhuhu! Such heart-pounding excitement!"

Everyone grabbed the levers that popped out of the podiums in front of them, and pulled them to select who they thought the blackened was. With that, his fate was sealed, and that was the end of their first class trial.

* * *

**I'm sorry to Kazuichi fans, including myself. Someone had to bite the bullet, and in canon, he is the one who opens the door. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized he'd be the perfect one to die this early. Unlike in my first story, where the first murder left little impact due to it being the same as in canon, Kazuichi plays an important role throughout the story. He makes the radio thing in chapter three, fixes the elevator in chapter four. So having him be the killer here is going to change things up quite a bit.**

**Huh, unlike Albert, who shouts Objection as his cut-in, Maki shouts No, that's wrong like a proper Danganronpa character. However, she also makes a speech in reference to the one Albert gave Toshihide, so it's like, a recursive reference or something. Mind = Blown. Not actually, though. It doesn't take that much thought to process.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see the aftermath of the trial, and maybe see what Albert and friends are up to.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Boy, I am beat. I'm still recoiling from the busy week I mentioned in the last chapter, but hey, I finally got a new job. So that's cool. Hopefully it won't slow down my production or hinder its quality, but you never know in this economy. In any case, once again, I'm sorry to any Kazuichi fan for making him the blackened, but hopefully this execution I designed will help take away the pain.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Breaking Down**

Monokuma giggled to himself as he tallied up the votes. "Correct! That's right! This time, the blackened responsible for killing Teruteru Hanamura is Kazuichi Soda!"

"A-Are you serious...!?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Are you saying you're gonna punish him for something he didn't even do?"

"WHYYYYYYYY!?" Nekomaru cried. "WHY DID IT HAVE TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS!?"

The Mechanic was shaking as tears streamed down his cheeks. "Th-This can't be happening... Why...?"

"Why..." Maki repeated sadly. "That's what everyone wants to know, huh? I could reiterate the answer in more detail, if you want, but the outcome won't change."

"What do you mean?" Hajime asked.

She took a deep breath, glaring at Nagito. "Teruteru spent all day preparing the dishes for the party. Around noon's time, I spotted him carrying some ingredients, and offered to help. My true intentions were to get to know him. However, we eventually heard some weird laughter from the dining hall. When we went to investigate... We saw Nagito, in the middle of cleaning duty, putting a knife under the table. After such a suspicious move, we decided to keep watching him. We saw him mess with the irons, and the air conditioners... And the whole time, he was grinning like a lunatic. So we decided to confront him. But instead of denying his actions, he doubled down. He told me that no matter what I did, he wouldn't stop trying to start the killings. So that's why I devised my plan the way I did. I knew I couldn't stop him without taking him out of commission for some time. But I guess Byakuya absorbed some of the blast, so neither or them were terribly injured."

Byakuya himself didn't say anything. He simply kept his head down and his arms folded.

"N-Nagito... what is the meaning of this?" Hajime asked. "E-Explain it to me! I don't understand... anything about this story at all!"

"You see, if you have a favourite boxer, don't you want him to fight against a strong opponent and win?" Nagito asked.

"You better not compare us to that." Fuyuhiko said.

"Huh? Am I wrong? It's a given that trials are necessary to become strong, and the harsher the trial, the stronger you become, no? For mere humans, killings are simply a tragedy, but... for worthy humans, a trial such as this can elevate their status to an even higher level. It's amazing to me that someone as untalented as myself can become that trial! There's no point in someone like me surviving... It's far more significant for me to die as everyone's trial. There's no greater honour than becoming the foundation so that your values may ascend to brave new heights!"

"S-Stop it..." Kazuichi begged. "You're seriously... starting to piss me off..."

"I-I don't understand at all!" Mahiru shouted. "Are you saying you basically want to commit murder for fun!?"

"It's not the same as killing for fun, but... I guess it'd look the same in your eyes. I have no intention of surviving and leaving you all to die."

"Is that why... you didn't mind when Maki and Teruteru discovered your plan?" Hajime asked.

"Or perhaps that was intentional too?" Chiaki guessed. "Nagito wanted to involve us in the killing... Plus, it'd be better for him if the mystery was more complex... Is that why you blatantly revealed your plan to them? You expected to pique Maki's interest... And you looked forward to the mystery becoming more complex."

"Well... you're basically right. It's true I was looking forward to that. That's why I took the time to tell Teruteru about the secret passage I found while I was cleaning... After Maki left, of course."

"That was your doing as well?" Gundham asked.

"I just casually mentioned it: "Oh, it's dangerous if you fall, so don't get too close to it.""

"This dude... He's seriously batshit crazy! He's insane!" Kazuichi shouted.

"I know. That's why I tried to stop him. But I guess Teruteru had a similar idea..." Maki said with a sigh.

"But if you were trying to stop him, why did Kazuichi trigger the explosion?" Sonia asked.

"I don't know!" She snapped. "Alright? Is that what you want to hear? Don't act like I wanted any of this. I don't know why Kazuichi beat me to the door, and I don't know why Teruteru crawled under the floor like he did."

"Teruteru... was probably just trying to stop Nagito... by any means necessary." Hajime guessed.

"I see... Teruteru is amazing..." Nagito decided. "He stood up to my challenge, and decided to fight for his freedom by trying to kill me... And yet... I never expected an ending like this... Such despair!"

"Wha-!?"

"But... we shouldn't let him die in vain. I'm sure everyone will become even stronger by overcoming this despair..."

"Could it be...?" Peko asked. "You knew Teruteru would try to kill you, so you set him up to fail?"

"...Of course not. I'm not that good at calculating. I just took some precautionary measures. The results of that were going to be my fun for later... Just kidding. But I never expected it would turn out like this. I never thought I'd be the one to survive. But since it was my life that had been saved, I didn't want to just waste it... So that's why I decided to help the killer."

"Why... why...?" Hajime asked.

"Well, because... I thought whoever the killer was must have committed their crime because they also had strong hope. Which means their actions were motivated by hope... If they were willing to go that far, I thought they might truly be the person whose existence I was waiting for. I thought they might be the hope that could overcome any despair. In order for me to confirm it, I decided to help the killer!"

"Wh-What do you mean, "confirm"!? Just stop it already!" Hajime demanded.

"But unfortunately, Kazuichi turned out to be the killer, and he gave up almost immediately. I still think this trial was adequate for everyone's hope to grow, but that was mostly because of other factors, like Byakuya and me interfering. I definitely think this trial could have been a lot more interesting! If only I had figured out earlier that he was the killer, I could have helped Kazuichi so much more! But in the end, my help wasn't enough, and this turned out to be a bad ending for Kazuichi... But you should be proud of yourself. You will not die in vain! You will become a splendid sacrifice for everyone else so their hopes can grow even more powerful!"

"S-Sacrifice...!?" Kazuichi choked out.

"Hey, is it really okay for us to just leave this crazy bastard alone like this?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Isn't it better if we just fucking kill him off!?"

"Kyaaaah! "Kill," he said!" Monokuma squealed. "High school students are sooooo violent these days! But the person who's gonna get killed now isn't Nagito. It's Kazuichi."

"...Eek!?"

"Puhuhu, you didn't forget, right? Cuz I told you already at the beginning, right? If the blackened killer loses... a fun punishment awaits them."

"H-Hold on..." The Mechanic said. "I didn't mean to kill anyone! This was just an accident, right? Can't we say it, uh... doesn't count...?"

"It doesn't matter if it's an accident, self-defence, or intentional, a murder is still a murder! If you kill someone, that's murder!"

"This is too cruel!" Sonia argued. "Have you no sympathy judgement? Extenuating circumstances...? P-Probation...?"

"I don't accept any of those claims!"

"Th-That's-!"

"Besides, everyone knows the most fan-favourite killers are the ones with complex and interesting motives. Nobody cares about accidental killers like him. Sooooo... It seems there's no point in basking in the afterglow, so let's hurry up and begin the punishment!"

"N-No! You can't!" Monomi begged.

"Jeez! Get outta my way!" Monokuma wound up and gave you a corkscrew punch, sending her flailing back and forth like a pinata.

"Gyaaaaaah!"

"There... now that the annoying little sister has been dealt with, let's get back to business..."

"Hold on, no...!" Kazuichi interrupted. "I still... I don't wanna die! Not yet! There's still... some things I have to say!"

"I've prepared a special punishment for Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic!"

"I-I... I still haven't said goodbye! I need to say-!"

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIIIIIME!"

"NOOOOOOO!" Suddenly, chains came from the corridor behind him and locked around his neck, choking off his screams. As he was pulled away from the group, he desperately reached his hand out toward Sonia. She watched as he was pulled through the curtains at the end of the corridor, and out of her sight.

Monokuma laughed as the giant monitors near the ceiling of the trial room booted to life, forcing the survivors to view the execution of their classmate and friend. The live video showed Kazuichi laying on what appeared to be a workbench in a garage. A Monokuma wearing a jumpsuit stood over him menacingly. Loudspeakers through the room announced the title of the execution:

**"Heartbreak Overdrive!"** The jumpsuit Monokuma started using pliers and other tools to cut open Kazuichi's chest. Many students looked away and covered their ears at his bloodcurdling screams. When he had a sufficiently large hole in him, the Monokuma grabbed a device resembling a car battery, but with some transparent parts, and started hooking it up to him. When the operation was over, blood red liquid flowed through the transparent parts of the device in timing with the Mechanic's rapid heartbeats.

The chains around his neck then lifted him into the air, and moving him over to the other side of the garage. Waiting there was a black and white sports car with a red decal like Monokuma's eye across the hood. As he neared it, the hood opened, and he was unceremoniously dropped atop the inner workings. Then, two more jumpsuit Monokumas made their way over and started strapping Kazuichi and his battery to the car. Once the battery was fully hooked up, the engine roared to life. With that, the door of the garage opened, revealing a desertscape unlike anywhere on the islands the students had explored, and the car sped off.

Kazuichi tried to keep his breathing steady, hoping that by keeping the car moving with his blood he could delay his death. Unfortunately, keeping calm nerves was not the boy's strong suit, and the blood loss from his open wounds only served to weaken his pulse. There was also his motion sickness to take into account, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. However, before he had time to think about any of that, he noticed the car was quickly approaching a ramp in the distance. With a thump, Kazuichi's heart skipped a beat, and the car was airborne. He closed his eyes and braced for impact with the sandy earth... but it never came.

Instead, the car began to transform, like something out of an anime or video game. Before he had a chance to react, he was no longer on a sports car, but instead on the tip of a rocket. The rocketship of his dreams. The one he always wanted to make. The one he would never get the chance to make. The engine of the mechanical marvel roared as it blasted off into the sky. The thinning of the atmosphere and the extreme speeds he was reaching made his breathing even more laboured, and in time, he began to feel lightheaded. He slowly drifted into unconsciousness, and wondered why he didn't reach it sooner. But before he could enter his peaceful slumber, before he could even close his eyes, a beep came from his chest. Looking down, he saw the battery with no fluid running through it. His heart had stopped. The battery exploded, and the rocket along with it, sending chunks of charred flesh flying in every different direction, with most of it being completely destroyed in the blast.

The camera panned across the desert, to a small shack labelled "Soda Bike Shop," with the word "King" added shoddily at the front. The exploded pieces of the rocketship fell from the sky, crushing the small building under their weight. With that, the video feed cut to black as all the classmates stood in silent horror of what they witnessed.

"YAHOOOOOOOO! EXTREEEEEEEEEEEEME!" Monokuma cheered from his throne.

"Kyaaaah!" Monomy cried at the violent sight.

"Phew! The adrenaline is rushing through me!"

"K-Kazuichi!" Mikan screamed in shock. Beside her, Ibuki was foaming at the mouth.

"Wh-Why...?" Sonia sobbed. "Why... did you do something so cruel?"

"Huh? Didn't you learn when you were in elementary school?" Monokuma asked. "If you badmouth someone... The teacher writes it in a note, and makes whoever you badmouthed read it to you in front of the class... When that happens, only then do you think about how it feels to be badmouthed. The same applies to murder."

"H-He didn't even do it on purpose!" Mahiru shouted.

"Ugh... so cruel... This is just too cruel...!" Mikan began to cry.

"Well, it can't be helped." Monokuma said. "Rules are rules and this is the killing rule after all!"

"What... rule... You're the one who's breaking the rules!" Hajime accused.

"Huh? I just can't let that slide... What do you mean?"

"When you mentioned the motive... Didn't you also promise something!? Wh-Why... why didn't you tell Kazuichi about his forgotten memories!? He had a right to know!"

"Yeah... us too..." Fuyuhiko agreed. "We all have a right to know...! Hey! Hurry up and tell us! What did you mean earlier when you mentioned our "school memories"?"

"Oh yeah, I did promise to return your memories after the killing began..." Monokuma recalled.

"Huh? You're gonna do it?" Monomi suddenly looked very worried. "But... telling them is kind of..."

"But I never told you guys that I'd tell you right away."

"Wha-...!?"

"Th-That's not fair!" Akane shouted.

"Of course, I'll keep my promise to return your memories someday. But... it's still not clear when that "someday" will actually be... Bwah-hahahahaha!" With that, he disappeared.

"U-Um..." Monomi scanned the room, seeing each of the students' angry or disgusted faces. "I must excuse myself as well! Th-There's something that I need to do!" With that, she disappeared as well, leaving the rope she was hanging from empty and slack.

"That's not fair! They both ran away!" Ibuki shouted.

"M-Monokuma had us wrapped around his finger after all...!" Mahiru said.

"An ending like this is just full of despair... A seriously tragic despair..." Nagito said. "But still, at times like this... As the symbols of hope, you guys need to keep doing your best!"

"You... why're you smilin'?" Akane asked.

"How can you smile in a situation like this, you creep!" Ibuki spat.

"Hold on... I'm sad too, you know... Didn't I tell you? From the bottom of my heart, I truly love you all. You Ultimates who inspire hope... and your splendid talents. There's no way I can be happy when we've lost such a talented individual."

"Don't go sayin' creepy shit! I'll fucking kill you!" Fuyuhiko threatened.

"...Please, kill me any time."

"...Huh?"

"If you hate me, I don't mind you killing me! I've already prepared myself to become your stepping stone! If absolute hope can be born from that... then my life is nothing special."

"You... how messed up are you...!?" Nekomaru asked.

"However, if you're going to kill me, make sure you discuss it with me beforehand, okay? You see, if you do that, then I can cooperate with the killer."

"Are you seriously... intending to help the killer?" Hajime asked.

"It's really not that big of a deal. If you're students of Hope's Peak Academy... If you're the symbols of hope who possess the chosen talents... Then it shouldn't matter to you guys at all if I cooperate with the killer, right!?"

"Hmph... Declaring so confidently that you'll side with the killer..." Gundham muttered.

"Maybe this was his plan all along." Hiyoko accused. "Since he's willing to work with the killer, he wants us to think it's better for us not to kill him..."

"Well, I don't mind what you think of me..." Nagito decided. "In actuality, thanks to Byakuya, I'm starting to feel a small desire to live." He glanced at the rotund boy, who still said nothing. "Mostly, I just want to watch everyone destroy all the despair that comes for you, one after the other...! Ahaha, just kidding!"

"Hey, can I punch ya?" Akane suggested. "I just won't be satisfied till I punch ya!"

"Fine..." Hajime said. "Let's stop this already... It's just going to be a waste of time... if we keep dealing with him...!"

"Huh? Even Hajime hates me now? That stings... I felt you and I were quite similar."

"What does that...?"

"You hold a special feeling toward Hope's Peak Academy... just like me."

"Don't put me in the same category as you...!"

"But how can you say you're not? Monokuma said it himself... We don't know anything about each other's true nature. No, if it's true that our school memories were stolen, it's the same as not knowing our true selves, too. Especially for you... right? Someone who can't even remember what his talent is..."

Hajime glared at him for a few moments before looking away. "...Akane... please feel free to punch him."

"...Will do!" She stepped up and readied her arm.

"...H-Hold on!"

"P-Please stop this at once!" Sonia begged, her voice cutting through the commotion. "Nothing will come from fighting like this. There... there is something else that we must do. We must not argue with each other in a place like this. There... is something more important we must do."

"...Which is?" Gundham asked.

"Do our best."

"...Hm?"

"We must first leave here... and get some rest. And then... we shall all work together and do our best. Do our best so we never have to come back here again. That is what... I believe we must do right now... I am sorry... If only I was a better motivational speaker..."

"But... what do we have to work hard at?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I do not know, but we must do our best!"

"...Jeez, I don't get you at all. Are you some kind of moron?"

"It's fine if you don't know." Chiaki said. "What matters is that you hold on to the feeling that you have to do your best. So... let's do our best. Let's make sure a killing like this never happens again."

"It's scary but... doing our best is our only option." Mahiru admitted. "There's no way I'm doing what Nagito said."

"All right!" Akane cheered. "I dunno what you're all talkin' about, but let's do our best for now!"

"Very well... Even if we are not able to change the future, I guess I should at least change my tomorrow..." Gundham decided.

"Damn fiend... I won't give up until the very end!" Nekomaru declared. "I won't die in vain... I'll give my entire existence, my entire power, my entire body and soul, and fight to the very end!"

"Yeah, you're right..." Hajime agreed. "Let's definitely work together and leave this island!"

"Do our best..." Maki muttered as she continued to stare up at the screen that showed her friend's death. They were big words, but empty ones. She couldn't understand how such cheap words could serve to fight off their despair. How immature were her classmates that all it took were three words to blind them from the truth? In her heart, she wished she could be like that. But unfortunately, delusions held no claim to her mind; all she knew was the truth, and the road that lead to it. She could not turn away from it so easily.

She turned to Byakuya, who still had yet to say anything since the vote was concluded. She knew he was the same way. Under all his regal grandeur, he was a fellow truth-seeker. No matter how much he lied to himself, he could not hide from the truth. He could not deny his role in the events leading up to Kazuichi's demise.

* * *

I was exhausted.

I know it's not right to complain when others are suffering far worse, but it was true. It may have been more personal for Chiaki and her classmates, but I was far from uninvolved in these people's lives, and being forced to watch Kazuichi's execution was just another punch to the gut. How many punches has my gut sustained in the last year? At least twelve, by my count. And that's not even counting what I went through in Towa. To be perfectly honest with you, I just wanted to take a breath. This ordeal wouldn't be nearly as painful to endure if I had some recovery time, but it's just one thing after another with this Ultimate Despair shit.

Now... with my whining out of the way, I was currently alone in the observation room. I mean, not really, since Taichi was still working at keeping the virus at bay, but since he was so absorbed in that, he didn't really have time to react to what was happening around him. I envied that. One may be curious why no one else was with me, considering the ones who were _assigned _to watch the screen were Celeste, Chiaki, and Miaya, meaning they weren't allowed to just leave unless another was there to take their place(Unlike me, who chose to be here for some stupid reason).

Well, the issue is, it's currently Chiaki's shift. She tried to watch Kazuichi's entire execution, similarly to how I always tried to watch the executions in my own killing game, out of some desire to honour the dead in some way. And she did. But then she broke down into tears, and excused herself to go to the bathroom. I couldn't bring myself to make her stay, and even if I could, I probably wouldn't. It was the first time I saw her cry, and I knew how it felt, in a way. Watching someone you care about be humiliated in the face of death. Watching a part of your world, however little, shatter so utterly.

Although I don't recall ever crying after watching an execution. All I ever felt was emptiness. I guess that means Chiaki still has something that I lost at some point. What could it be? Humanity, perhaps? But if that's the case... If Chiaki is human... then what am I? Thoughts like that were why I didn't like going down this train of thought. I certainly cried when the stress got too overwhelming, Chihiro can testify to that, but why was I always so emotionally dead as I watched my friends die?

My thoughts were interrupted when the door to the room opened. I was expected Celeste or Miaya to show up to take Chiaki's place, but instead, Kyoko stood in the door frame.

"Albert, here you are. Come on, my grandfather finally got back to us with the results of the files." She looked around the room for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "Chiaki's shift?"

"Yeah..."

"I trust the trial wasn't fun to watch?"

"Oh no, it was pretty fun. It's been a while since I watched a Danganronpa trial. It's just that the end wasn't very pretty. I'm sure you remember the executions Junko managed to cook up with machinery. Imagine if she had control over the laws of physics and stuff."

She hid it pretty well, but I could've sworn I saw her shiver. "Well, if you don't tell me the details later, I won't complain. I'll call Miaya to take Chiaki's place early. When she gets here, come to the conference room. I already told everyone else to gather there."

"Everyone else...?" I repeated, nodding at Taichi.

"You know what I mean. Everyone except Hina."

I nodded. Makoto, Byakuya, Celeste, Chihiro, Kyoko, and myself. As much as I liked Chiaki, Miaya, Taichi, or even Grand Bois Cheri, I hadn't quite formed a fire-forged bond with them like I had with the six of my classmates. Though it won't be the same without Hina. Hey, maybe once Towa evacuations are out of the way, we can all have on big reunion party. Heh, yeah, if only...

"Right. Well, I'll try to get there soon, but try not to wait for me." I told her.

She gave me an odd look. "Don't be ridiculous. We'll wait as long as we have to. I'm not going to repeat myself, after all."

"Well, Miaya might be a while. Lack of wheelchair accessibility and all."

"In any case, I'll see you there." With that, she turned and left me alone once again.

I sighed and turned back to the monitors. Hopefully, some good news would come out of this. I needed to find out the true nature of Maki Yugami. Was she an incompetent friend, or a manipulative foe? I had no idea.

* * *

Maki Yugami stepped out of the steamy bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body, while running another one through her long hair. The eventful day had her exhausted, but the feeling of the hot water on her skin had rejuvenated her. Due to the trial, she didn't have time for a full night's rest, but she could at least get in a nap before morning, and she doubted anyone would fault her for sleeping in.

"My my, it looks like I came in at a great time..." Maki flinched when she heard the voice, and pulled the towel tighter over herself. But she relaxed some when she saw her company was simply Monokuma.

"Well, hello to you too, Junko. I didn't think you would stop by for a visit."

"Ooh, she knows my name! I'm so scared!" The bear laughed. "And just what are you gonna do with that knowledge, huh?"

"Nothing, yet. Even if I told everyone you were behind this, it wouldn't change anything. But it's always better to know something than not. After all, you never know when that information could come in handy."

"Puhuhu... You know, I knew someone once who had a very similar philosophy. He kept a lot of things hidden from his friends just because he didn't think it would help them. But ten of his friends died anyway, so maybe it would've been better for him to spill his guts right from the beginning. Talk about regrets from our youth, am I right? Though it might be weird to say since you two are so different... You definitely remind me of _him_."

She put a hand on her hip. "Whoever it is you're muttering about, I don't care. And I don't appreciate being compared to someone who failed in such a spectacular fashion."

"Oh? So, Teruteru and Kazuichi were victories for you, then?"

"Don't put words in my mouth. If I could have taken measures to ensure Nagito was the only victim, I would have. But I won't make the same mistake again."

He laughed at that statement. "Oh, c'mon, you don't need to keep up that act around me. You knew Teruteru was going to be under the floor, right? And you wanted to be the one to open the door so you could become the blackened, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Yes, I did plan to be the one to open the door, but I had no reason to believe Teruteru would be killed in the explosion. In a way, I guess it's lucky that I failed to reach the door in time, since I don't quite plan on becoming the blackened yet."

"Huh? Yet? So you would totally be down for some killing later?"

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not some psychopath who wants to rack up a body count. But everyone has their limits. Your motives have a way of picking at the dark corners of people's minds. If this game goes on for too long, even I might end up tempted to sacrifice the others to save myself."

"Speaking of which, I just thought it was worth mentioning... I'm fine with the fact that you're protecting yourself from the other students. Makes it more interesting that way. But if you ever are voted as the blackened and executed, just know that I can override that sort of thing."

She cocked her head to the side. "That sounds like something you wouldn't tell someone until the last minute. You know, to make the despair more real. Why are you telling me now?"

"Eh, I consider it an investment. I can definitely get more bang for my buck of despair with you around, so I don't want you going and getting yourself offed so soon. Besides, I'm a sporting bear. Everything should be fair and square, that way the losing side had only themselves to blame."

"Uh-huh..."

"...What were we talking about? I feel like I had something to ask you, but I forgot because the conversation moved on. Don't you hate it when that- Oh! Now I remember! I was curious where you came from. Because you're definitely not a member of Class 77-B, or else I'd remember you."

She glared down at the bear for a moment, taking a measured breath. Then, she turned and walked over to her dresser. "I'm done talking to you."

"Aw, c'mon, really?" Monokuma asked as she stripped off the towel and started putting on her underwear. "Hmph. Well, not that this isn't super fun to watch, but it's a little inappropriate for a headmaster to watch his student get dressed, right?"

"You're not my headmaster. You're Junko Enoshima, a high-school girl, and one of the most notorious psychopaths in all of history. You'll forgive me if I'm not entirely modest in front of someone who I can't even view as human."

"Jeez, you really have a sharp tongue, don't you? Guess I'll have to wait until some other time to cut it out, though."

Maki was already tucking herself in her bed. "Not listening. Sleeping now."

"So disrespectful. Oh well. I can always have my fun later." With that, the bear disappeared, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts.

* * *

**And now we officially get to move into Chapter 2 territory. As I mentioned, I've neglected to show much of Albert and friends during this first case, so I'm going to put more focus on them for the next few chapters. And I definitely plan to show more of Albert interacting with the people around him, since he hasn't gotten a chance to do that in a long time. Hell, off the top of my head, the only survivors he really ever had a serious heart-to-heart with were Makoto, Chihiro, and Komaru. And Toshihide, I guess. So I definitely plan to revisit his relationships with the others. Speaking of revisiting things, remember the last time I had a Survivor/Victim list like this?**

**Survivors-15: Maki Yugami, Hajime Hinata, Akane Owari, Byakuya Togami, Chiaki Nanami, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Gundham Tanaka, Hiyoko Saionji, Ibuki Mioda, Mahiru Koizumi, Mikan Tsumiki, Nagito Komaeda, Nekomaru Nidai, Peko Pekoyama, Sonia Nevermind**

**Victims-2: Teruteru Hanamura, Kazuichi Soda**

**In the next chapter, Albert will continue his investigation, and continue to watch the killing game...**


	10. Chapter 9

**I feel like this is a good wind-down chapter. There are some funny moments, some sad thoughts, and new things come to life.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Picking Up The Pieces**

True to Kyoko's word, when I entered the conference room everyone was already there. Kyoko herself stood at the front of the room, a stack of files on the table in front of her. Byakuya stood a few feet away. The others were seated along the table. I made my way around, taking a seat next to Chihiro, across from Celeste and Makoto.

Kyoko cleared her throat. "Now that everyone's here, I suppose I should get right into it. Shortly after I began my investigation, I contacted my grandfather, who is currently running the 14th Division in my absence. I told him what we needed to find, and thanks to his detective training, along with some help from Byakuya's butler Aloysius, and a few other hands around the Division, they were able to compile this stack of documents." She gestured to the stack as if we may have missed the only thing on the table.

"So... What are the results?" Makoto asked.

"The answer to that comes with both good news and bad news." She said. "To save me some time, they put together a brief summary of their findings, but I also quickly skimmed through the files to confirm what they said for myself. We found that, at least in the Hope's Peak files that the Future Foundation was able to retain after the Tragedy, there is no mention of anyone who goes by the name "Maki Yugami" ever attending. Furthermore, there's only one Ultimate Criminologist, who was male, and would be around his mid-forties by this time. On top of that, he unfortunately suffered a fatal heart attack almost a decade before the Tragedy even started."

"Hm..." I considered that. "So unless this dude faked his death and got a sex change, along with a lot of plastic surgery to look younger, this ain't our guy."

"I don't even think that would work." Byakuya said. "The Neo World Program turns back the clock on how you appear, doesn't it?"

Chihiro nodded. "No matter how much plastic surgery someone received, the Neo World Program would make their body match their memories. And the program is set to remove school memories, so he would view himself as thirty years younger. Then again, I guess we're not sure how Maki got into the program. She could have bypassed the same entrance process the Remnants of Despair went through."

"Regardless, his wife and some other family can testify to the fact that he died, so this is a moot point." Kyoko said. "Unless we assume that his entire family is in on this scheme, but because of Occam's Razor, I'm only going to consider that if all our other theories are disproven. One other thing, the Future Foundation has no access to any government files for anyone named Maki Yugami. So whoever this girl is, she's like a ghost. She just appeared out of thin air one day, and there's no trace of her existence before the last few days."

"Well, I suppose that cinches it, does it not?" Celeste asked. "My theory is correct. This "Maki Yugami" is simply an extension of the Junko virus. She's just trying to confuse us by using another face. Not unlike her trick with Mukuro, I suppose."

Byakuya groaned. "Even from beyond the grave, she's sending us in circles. I recommend Chihiro and his father use... well, for lack of a better term, lethal force as they fight these viruses. Go on the offensive against one of them while defending against the other. That sounds like the quickest way to deal with them."

"Uh... It's not quite that simple." Chihiro corrected. "For one thing, even if I wanted to do something like that, I can't. The viruses seem to be... working in unison."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Well, from what I've seen, the Junko virus has been setting up firewalls to protect Maki Yugami. It's unnatural, I've never seen anything like it. Then again, I never had to deal with strong A.I. viruses before, much less two of them at the same time."

"Celeste's theory is getting more and more likely by the second." Byakuya remarked. "What reason would Junko have to protect another virus if it wasn't connected to her in some way?"

I didn't like that we kept going back to Celeste's theory. I wasn't sure why, but something about it didn't sit right with me. "...What if we're wrong?"

All eyes turned to me. "I mean, it might be easier to just call call her a virus and delete her, but think about it. This is Junko we're talking about, has she ever made anything simpler than it had to be? What if we delete her, and she's a real person who ends up dead- or worse- because of that?"

"I see Towa hasn't dulled your chronic hero syndrome." Byakuya said. "Have you thought of it the other way around? What if you "save" her, and she turns out to be an Ultimate Despair?"

I stood up. "No, none of that. Not after Sayaka and Leon. I refuse to willingly sacrifice someone's life just because it might make things safer for me than letting them live. I'd sooner die than live like that."

"You idiot! Do you even hear what you're saying?" He snapped. "What if, due to your inaction, the Junko virus overtook our entire computer network? What if the Ultimate Despair gained access to all of the Future Foundation's files, putting us at their mercy? We're the last lines against them, if they defeat us, then it's over. Mankind is finished. Do you understand that?"

"More than anyone. And this isn't inaction, it's a passive action. I thought you of all people would know the difference, since you spent our entire killing game making Makoto do all the work for you."

"Listen here, you-"

"Byakuya, remember that talk we had about people's emotions?" Kyoko reminded him. He folded his arms and turned away. "Albert, I appreciate your sentiment. Trust me, none of us are looking for an excuse to kill someone innocent. But you have to realize, there's a lot of responsibility on our shoulders, and this whole thing is one step away from becoming a full-scale emergency. We're all stressed and exhausted, and we're not thinking clearly. We should all try to get some sleep. Tomorrow, we can continue our investigation with fresh perspectives. Until then, Chihiro and his father can just keep up their current strategy. Does that sound good to everyone?"

We all muttered positive responses, and the conference was adjourned.

* * *

Despite everyone in our group exiting the administrative building at around the same time, I lagged behind. I needed a moment to enjoy the change of scenery. I had spent basically the past 72 hours in the same building. I decided to stretch my legs and take in the fresh air. Well, almost fresh. Damn pollution.

It seemed particularly bad tonight. The sky was blood red like usual, and was covered with several thick clouds, like blankets of unbreathable air. On some days it could look pretty good, since if it was thin enough the sun could cut through the smog, but it was always there, silent and deadly. The island's air purifiers were the only thing preventing my friends and I from suffocating to death.

As I neared the temporary float bridge leading to the first island, I slowed my pace. I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about crossing it in the dark, not anymore than I was about crossing it in the daylight. I took a moment to watch the tide on the beach below rise and fall. Something about the idea that the world could still seem so peaceful despite the apocalypse was nice. It made me think that maybe my dreams for the future weren't as hopeless as I thought.

In that moment, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I spun around and pulled out my high-frequency baton, the only self-defence I really had, and pointed it toward the sound. Standing a few feet away from me, tinted red by the air between us, was Chihiro.

I breathed, and put my weapon away. "...You scared me."

"Huh...? You scared me!" He said with a nervous laugh.

"I didn't notice you lagging behind, too. I thought you went ahead with the others."

"Oh, I just took a second to say good night to my dad." He explained. "I know I'll see him again in a few hours, but..."

"I get it. I'd give anything to be able to say goodnight to someone from back home... Ugh, dammit, I didn't mean to bring the mood down like that."

"That's okay. I know what you mean... Are you sure there's really no way for you to get home, though?"

"Well, when Toshi left this dimension, I was left with a bunch of his ideas and stuff. That's how I designed this baton. But I don't have anything in this noggin' of mine that could let me get home." That was half-true. I did have the schematics for the same machine Toshihide used to pull me into this world, his magnum opus, but that thing only did receiving, not sending. And I'm not well-versed enough in theoretical physics to reverse-engineer the thing to make something that can send. Even if I could, I doubted I would have the courage to just leave this world while it's like this. "But it's fine. I already accepted a long time ago that I won't ever see them again. Of course, I wouldn't mind if I could just have like, 10 minutes with my family just to say goodbye and stuff like that, but I'll take what I can get."

"If you're sure it's fine, then... okay." I could tell from his tone that he didn't believe me. That was fine. I didn't quite believe me either. "Um, can we cross the bridge now?"

I realized I was blocking the bridge like a troll. I also realized I would have to cross the bridge now. The fact that I was being slightly rushed made me feel jelly-legged. "Yeah, sure, no problem."

In my mind, I tried to replay the scene from Shrek where he's telling Donkey not to look down. Except heights weren't really the problem here, it was just a matter of stability. I really didn't want to fall into the probably-heavily-polluted water and maybe get eaten by mutant sharks or whatever the hell hung around the waters of Jabberwock. I just took careful, baby steps so I didn't shake the bridge too much. I tried to think about other things so I wasn't so anxious. Uh... I've been reading up on Novoselican history when I have the time. It's a pretty cool place, don't quite understand what cartographers have against it, although I'm still not sure what a Makango or a Skong is...

"Um... Are you okay?" Chihiro asked a few feet ahead of me. I looked around. My baby steps were apparently too small, and I was only a little ways away from the beach.

With a shaky sigh, I said, "Never better." and tried to widen by steps a bit. I realized I didn't need to distract myself with the details of a micronation no one remembers, since I have Chihiro here to distract me. Although it would look pretty weenie if I was like, "Hey, I seem to have an irrational fear of this bridge in particular, could you talk about something so I don't wet my pants?" So instead, I tried to come up with a topic on my own. I could talk with Chihiro about anything, but there was something on my mind. I didn't quite know how to lead the conversation there, though. Ah, screw it, no time like the present.

"Hey listen, Chihiro, I wanted to... apologize. Y'know, for snapping at you these past few days."

"I wouldn't really say you were "snapping" at me. You just had a bit of a harsh tone. But that's okay, I understand."

"No, it's not okay. It was shitty, you're just too nice to tell me that."

"Al." He turned back and looked me in the eyes. "You just got called back from evacuating refugees from a war zone. Nobody was expecting you to be super happy and nice."

"I know that. But still, I shouldn't be taking that out on you guys. You got enough on your plate as is."

"Well... If you need to talk to someone about it, you know I'm always here. You know I'm always doing my best to help you back."

I paused at his choice of words. Judging from his reaction, he didn't mean to throw in that last word. "Help me back... for what?"

"You know... helping me get over the fear of my secret... and helping me get stronger... and saving my life..."

"Chihiro, I didn't do any of that expecting payback. I did it because I'd feel awful if anything happened to you. I hate to see you sad. In that way, my reasons for helping you were kinda selfish."

"I know, but..."

"I mean, if you really wanna help me, I'd welcome it. But I don't want you to feel like your obligated to do it. You don't owe me a thing."

"But that's wrong!" He insisted.

"Huh?"

"Because... don't friends owe it to each other to help when they can? Isn't that a pretty important part of friendship?"

I thought about that. "You're right, I guess. But I don't think we should look at it like a scale that needs to be balanced..."

"Then... How about this?" He grabbed my hand, and wrapped his pinky finger around mine. "We both promise to help each other, whenever we can, no matter what. And we have to let the other person help when they want to. Does that sounds fair?"

I smiled. "Now that sounds like a deal." And then for some reason, I chanted the "oath" used by Japanese schoolchildren. "Pink promise pledge: If you're lying, I'll make you drink a thousand needles. Pinky promised." Sometimes, physics ideas or Japanese phrases from Toshihide would force their way to the front of my mind. I guess this was one of those moments.

Chihiro stared at me for a second before bursting out with laughter. Ah, now there was the smile I missed so much. I couldn't help but laugh with him. It had been too long since I had a genuine laugh.

"You know, Al, I don't want to be rude, but you can be kinda random sometimes." He said. "One minute you're afraid of crossing the bridge, then you get all serious about apologizing to me, and then, well... you go and say something like that."

"I guess I just try to live in the moment. I got you guys to thank for that. I spent the last year and a half worrying about my past actions, and how they're gonna affect the future. While it's all well and good to plan for those things, I need to spend more time focusing on what I have." I said sincerely, putting a hand on his shoulder, before adding, "But if you tell the others I did that, I'll feed you a pufferfish."

He laughed. "Okay, but you have to keep your end of the deal, too. Let me help you, or _I'll_ feed _you_ a pufferfish."

"Seems counterproductive to your goal, but alright." After a moment, I yawned, and he did so as well. "But right now... I think the best way we could help each other is to let ourselves get some sleep."

"Yeah..."

We continued walked down the bridge, talking about things that don't have matters relating to life or death for once. Eventually, we found ourselves entering the Hotel Mirai. The real version looked a lot different than the virtual counterpart. Mostly, it was quite a bit more expansive, which made sense since these islands were popular tourist spots. Instead of the two branching boardwalks the virtual version has, there were about a dozen rows of cottages across the hotel grounds.

"G'night, Chihiro."

"Good night."

We parted ways, and I checked the key that I received after my "luggage" was taken. It had a seventeen on it. I wandered a bit until I found myself standing in front of cottage 17. I put the key in and turned the knob. I stepped inside, muttering, "Home sweet home..." to myself sarcastically.

As soon as the door was shut behind me, I stripped down, removed my glasses and placed them on a nearby end table, and collapsed on the bed. I tried to fall asleep. By all accounts, it should've been simple. I was exhausted. But my mind wouldn't stop. It kept going, running through all scenarios I've already considered. I couldn't turn it off, no matter how hard I tried.

I heard the sound of skittering, and raised my head. I wasn't alone. My luggage sat in a pile on a table in the centre of the room. One of the very few things I couldn't bear to leave in Towa was Kameko, Toko Fukawa's former pet stink bug. Even though Komaru couldn't come with me, and in fact some of the people I saved ended up taking my place, I decided to at least save one more captive when I left.

I stood up and waked over to her bug box. I managed to get to the point where she wouldn't spray her stench whenever I got near. I guess that meant she was used to me. Her box was filled with half-eaten tropical leaves. I told the others on the island to make sure she doesn't starve while I'm occupied. At least one of us should be allowed to enjoy a stress-free vacation, and it was a lot easier to please a bug than a person.

I pushed open my curtains and stared into the red sky. It was the same sky that hung above Towa. My mind went to Hina, and Komaru, and the rest of the people there. I wondered how they were all doing. Alive, hopefully. Alive and well, even better. Alive, well, and having completed evacuations, that'd just be great. Probably too much to ask for, though. There were quite a few areas Komaru and I had yet to search through. And even when evacuations are complete, we'll still need to get someone who can take those helmets off those kids.

I sighed. There was so much that still had to be done. They say that anyone can do anything, as long as they try hard enough. Is that the problem? I'm just not trying hard enough? I thought I was pushing myself pretty hard. My shoulder still ached from the injury I received against Monaca Towa. I felt chronically exhausted. I'm constantly beating myself up when things don't go according to plan. What more could I possibly do?

I stared up at the night sky once again. This time, another thought crossed my mind. I was reminded of all those deep statements about how everyone in the world is connected by the same sun, the same moon, the same sky. The sky connected us all. So when you stare up at the sky, and you feel lonely, you can imagine your distant loved ones also staring at the same sky, and the gap suddenly doesn't feel so wide. Perhaps Hina and Komaru were looking at the same sky I was, for example.

But this wasn't the same sky from my home. While I was staring at this sky, I couldn't comfort myself with the idea that my parents, or my brothers, or my sisters were staring at the same sky. They had a different one. I mean, there was the possibility that this universe had it's own version of me and my family over in Canada, since I've never been there to disprove it, but the idea didn't really provide any comfort. It was likely that they were all killed in the Tragedy, anyway. Even if they were alive, though, it would be best if I never involved myself with this world's version of me's life. He had his own life to live, he didn't need my baggage. I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I choked back a sob. I had put on a brave face in front of Chihiro, but I couldn't hide it from myself.

I missed my family. I missed Mom and Dad. I missed Stephen. I missed Marie. I missed Darwin. I missed Nikole. I missed Isaac. I missed everyone. Hell, sometimes I even missed one of my childhood friends that I hadn't seen for years even before getting sucked into an alternate dimension. It's been two and a half years since I was brought here. Assuming the lengths of time were equal between the two universes, that meant the police have been investigating my disappearance for two and a half years. By now, my family's probably accepted that they'd never find me, and probably held my funeral. That thought really made me feel empty.

I never got to say goodbye. That was the worst part of it. That was the one thing I could never forgive Toshihide for. I could forgive him trapping me in a killing game. In time, I could forgive him for trying to get me executed. But I'll never forgive him for taking me from my home, without the chance to say goodbye.

When I trusted that I had no more tears to shed, I lifted my head, and returned to staring at the red sky. A few more whimpering breaths escaped me before my breathing returned to normal. Heh, I've already broken my promise to Chihiro. Not really looking forward to that pufferfish. Well, I guess it wasn't entirely broken yet. The next time we have a moment together, I'll admit it to him. It won't be pleasant, but I guess it's like ripping off a bandaid. Once it's over with, I'll start to feel better.

...Then, as I stared up at the night sky, I felt an odd sensation wash over me. My entire body stiffened with that sensation. "...Is someone watching me?"

I continued to stare, before I looked around the hotel grounds. Nope, the cottages in my view had their curtains drawn. What an odd feeling.

Behind me, Kameko chirped. I turned. She was facing toward me.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm probably just losing my mind. The only one watching me is you, huh?" She gave another chirp, that I interpreted as confirmation. "Heh, well, they do say animals have a sixth sense for this kinda thing. I'll take your word for it."

I plucked some leaves from a nearby houseplant into her bug box before returning to my sheets. I tried my best to get some shut eye, even though I knew what would await me in my nightmares. I comforted myself with the idea that they would never come true, that we were safe here. But it wasn't that easy. Tragedy finds a way.

* * *

The next morning, the general mood in the dining hall was dreary. It was quite clear that nobody wanted to be there. But nobody wanted to be alone, either, and the need to satiate their hunger was enough to get them to arrive.

Mahiru did her best to greet everyone, but her tone gave away her mood. By the time Hajime arrived, she had given up on trying to hide it. "Ah, Hajime... you're already here... Good morning..."

Several other students looked up and noticed him. "Good... morning..." Mikan greeted.

"...Good morning." Byakuya said quietly.

"Huuuh? You guys don't look so good." Hiyoko said. "Your faces all look like you just attended two funerals in a row."

"That's, like... what happened!" Mikan cried. "Teruteru... and Kazuichi got killed...!"

"I'm not talking to you, you ugly bitch!" Hiyoko snapped.

"Waaaaaah! Wh-Why are you always so mean to me!?"

"I know it's hard for you, Hiyoko, but you could really stand to learn some tact." Maki remarked.

"Oh, hey, that reminds me! Shouldn't we do something about Maki before she gets another one of us killed?"

"Hey, it's not like I wanted-"

"What you wanted doesn't matter! What happened is that you killed Teruteru and Kazuichi! Just because Monokuma doesn't think your guilty, doesn't mean it's not your fault!"

"She did what she had to." Byakuya defended. "Or at least, what she thought was best at the time. Regardless, we can't fault her for what happened outside of her control. By that logic, we're all accountable for the events of last night, as we all failed to notice either Nagito's or Maki's traps. We shouldn't throw blame. The mastermind is the one who pushed us to this."

Hiyoko rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure thing, Mr. Ham Hands. Just don't expect me to show up to anymore of your parties, okay?"

"...Hm?...Hmmmm?" Next to her, Akane started sniffing the air.

"Hey, what gives? Does a peabrain like you have something to complain about?"

"Well, it's not about that, but... somethin' smells, don'tcha think?"

"Eh, again!?" Sonia gasped.

"Don't tell me... It better not be another dead body!" Ibuki shouted.

"Nah, it's not the smell of a dead body... this time. It just smells really bad."

"S-Smells bad...?" Hajime repeated.

"It's kinda like how a bar or nightclub smells after closin' time, ya see."

"...Now that you mention it, I do smell something." Peko said. "It's like a sewer or rotting garbage..."

"Kyahahahaha! I know what it is! Nekomaru's breath probably stinks!" Hiyoko laughed.

"Gah-hahahaha! You've got me there!" The Team Manager laughed with her.

"She didn't say anything remotely funny just now..." Hajime muttered.

"No, it's not Nekomaru. This smell is comin' from..." Akane sniffed in different directions until her eyes fell on the girl next to her. "...you, Hiyoko."

"...Huh?" Hiyoko paused as the students sitting closest to her leaned closer and smelled the air.

Maki pulled back and covered her nose. "Ugh, does she ever! Have you heard of deodorant?"

"Tch! A rotten smell stings my eyes...!" Gundham agreed. "As if a demonic eclipse is about to commence...!"

"Ah... aghhh... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Suddenly, Hiyoko broke down in a mess of tears and wailing.

"Oh, she's crying!" Ibuki noted.

"Jeez, you guys are so insensitive!" Mahiru scolded.

"I mean, it's sort of on her at this point." Maki decided. "If she wants to go around making jokes about funerals or calling people "ugly bitches," she should grow a thicker skin." This comment did nothing to remedy the situation, and Hiyoko continued to cry.

"Are you even takin' baths?" Akane asked.

"Ugh..." She choked back a few sobs before she managed, "...No."

"Y-You haven't bathed...!?" Hajime asked.

"I... I can't help it... I can't tie my kimono sash by myself..." She admitted.

"H-Hey... Hiyoko... You don't have to cry so much..." Mahiru did her best to console the girl. "I'll tie your sash for you, okay?"

After a few more sobs, she asked, "...Really?"

"I can only tie a simple knot, but... if that's okay with you, I can teach you."

"Yaaaaay!" She jumped up and hugged the Photographer like a small child. "I love you, Mahiru! I'll give you a kiss!"

"H-Hey Hiyoko... you don't have to hug me." Mahiru said as she began to blush.

"...Kehehe, she appears to have taken a liking to you." Gundham observed.

"Welcome to the world of girl love! It's slippery when wet!" Ibuki cheered.

Mikan looked around the room. "Um... anyway... What happened to Fuyuhiko and Nagito? It seems they are both... not here..."

"Ah, now that you mention it, you're right..." Hajime said.

"I saw Fuyuhiko earlier near the hotel. I invited him to breakfast, but he declined." Peko explained.

"Well, that's just Fuyuhiko being Fuyuhiko, but..."

"Who cares about Nagito!?" Akane asked sharply.

"He is cursed... A child who summons misfortune, so to speak." Gundham warned.

"Well... that may be, but..." Hajime looked as though he had more to say, but didn't.

"J-Just letting you know... I don't know anything! W-Without hesitation, I-I don't know anything about Nagito at all!"

"I do have to say, I think it's best we just forget about Nagito." Maki said. "He'll just cause problems for anyone who doesn't study psychopaths. That's you guys, by the way."

Chiaki looked around the table before saying, "...They're obviously acting suspicious, aren't they?"

"Who, me?" Maki asked. "I'm not suspicious. This is how I always am."

"Hmph! That's right! I-I'm not suspicious!" Nekomaru argued.

"What's up?" Monokuma asked as he suddenly appeared. "Did someone get kidnapped or something?"

"Y-You came just at the right time!" Nekomaru shouted.

"Hm? At the right time?"

"N-No... it's nothing..." He decided.

"I don't really get it, but... you must've yearned for me. Your outlook on life has changed due to my cuteness, so your body can't stand to live without me, huh? "I-I can't help myself, you know... M-My body... reacts to Monokuma... on its own..." Somethin' like that?"

"...Who cares about that?" Mahiru snapped. "Just hurry up and tell us why you're here."

"To be honest, I'm searching too. My valued servant... has disappeared."

"Servant...?" Hajime repeated.

"You know, my Monobeasts... One of them just disappeared. Maybe I cut back on the cost of their food too much? Perhaps they're boycotting me?"

""But... that guy is the weakest of the League of Four... How shameful for a Monobeast to lose to a mere human..."... That's what you want to say, right?" Gundham guessed.

"Hm?"

"Though this is merely the prelude, the climax will occur soon after..." He boasted. "Now then, let me hear your scream! I shall make such sweet music for you!"

"Hmhmhmhm!?"

"Hey Gundham... You should stop playing with that stuffed animal." Mahiru teased.

"I'm still being called a stuffed animal..." Monokuma said, turning his back on the group. "Oh well... It looks like you guys don't know anything about my Monobeast either... Then it's a waste of time for me to worry about it. I don't wanna go bald from worrying too much. A wise catbot once said, "Our eyes are on the front so we can keep looking forward!"" With that, he disappeared, leaving the students to finish their meals.

"Hey, what do you think he meant just now?" Peko asked. "He said something about a Monobeast disappearing..."

Chiaki seemed lost in thought. "Hmm... The only possibility I can think of is..."

"Um... Were you in the middle of something?" Monomi asked, appearing where Monokuma had just left. "If so, I can just come back later..."

"Then leave." Akane said.

"Kyaa! At least ask me to leave kindly!"

"Ah, before you leave, I want to ask you something." Chiaki said. "Did you have anything to do with the disappearing Monobeast?"

"Ah, yes! That's right! Tadaaaaa! I'm the one who defeated that Monobeast!"

"Y-You did!?" Hajime asked, jumping out of his chair.

"That's an impressive feat." Maki remarked. "How did you do it?"

"Maybe I'll tell you about it someday in the future. Anyway, I've released the bridge gate for you all!"

"If the gate is open... That means we can go to the new island across the bridge, right?"

"I-IS THAT TRUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEE!?" Nekomaru asked.

"Ahem! That's totally right!" Monomi announced proudly. "Now that you all can go to more areas, let's all get along and live a fun life together for sure this time! Love! Love!"

"L-Living together on this island isn't what's important..." Mikan corrected. "W-We need to find a way to escape."

"Of course! Escaping from this island is our main goal!" Mahiru agreed.

"...Huh?"

"Nobody wants to live in a swashbuckling, Hollywood type, action film!" Ibuki said.

"I want to live a life where I can be more average... a life where nothing happens..." Mikan said. "That's better for me..."

"I-It seems that... everyone's united on a path that's different from what I had planned..." Monomi muttered.

"Fuhahaha! Then let's disperse!" Gundham announced. "The time has come to release my cursed seal!"

"All right! Let's find a way to leave this island!" Akane cheered.

"That is... impossible..." Monomi corrected.

"...Hm?" Hajime took note of her wording.

"Leaving the island... is no longer possible..."

"...No longer possible!? Hey... what does that...?" Before he could finish asking, she disappeared. "Ah...!"

"I think it's best not to take anything those things say at face value." Maki told him. "Monokuma and Monomi are just obstacles. We need to work around them."

"You're right..."

With that, everyone finished up their meals and made their way out of the dining hall, eager to explore the new island for clues.

* * *

**So yeah, not a lot happened, but at the same time, quite a bit happened. And hey, the second case is just getting started. I can't wait to see what you guys think about what I have in store.**

**In the next chapter, the students will explore the second island.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Not a lot happens in this chapter. I was planning to throw in another scene with Albert and his friends, but I decided to hold off until the next chapter. So this way, it's just the students exploring the second island.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Traitors and Outsiders**

"Hmm... Such an interesting description." Sonia said quietly as she flipped through a magazine. While exploring the second island, she found herself within the library, surrounded by countless texts from many different cultures. However, when the magazine's front page caught her eye, she couldn't stop herself from picking it up.

"What are you reading?" Hajime asked as he approached behind her. "Are those political books, or maybe some kind of philosophy...?"

"The newest issue of Occult Magazine!" She told him cheerfully. "It breaks the lid off underground mysteries and the wonders of the world!"

"Th-That's quite a surprise..."

"I-It is not as if I read it often. I am just reading it because it has a special article about serial killers! It seems... this writer has very good taste. I mean, even Genocide Jack is mentioned in the article..."

"Hm... that Genocide Jack or whatever... I feel like I've heard about her before..."

"Genocide Jack is an alleged Japanese serial killer who has a reputation even among casual internet users." Sonia explained. "She is very popular among youths and is known for writing messages in blood at the scene of the crime. Apparently she is a high school or middle school student who wears a sailor uniform. Be careful Hajime. Ah... this one is a particular favourite of mine... Sparkling Justice is a regular subject of these kinds of exclusive articles. I shall explain it to you just in case... Sparkling Justice is a serial killer who calls themselves "Ally of Justice"! Wearing a wide variety of hero masks, Sparkling Justice is a delightful serial killer who only kills criminals!"

"S-Sonia... calm down..."

"Thanks to the masks Sparkling Justice wears, nobody knows their real age or gender. After all, it is essential that serial killers be mysterious! What an expert, yes!"

"Hey, you two..." Peko approached them from across the room. "I've been listening in for a while now, but... Why are you talking about mere murderers with such enthusiasm?"

"I... haven't done any talking." Hajime defended.

"Please hold on!" Sonia interjected. "It is a mistake to refer to these people as mere murderers! Coming in contact with a value system that differs from your own is a very important matter. Serial killers... their value system is very different from the norm... What a marvellous existence! Haaaaah! I am totes intrigued!"

"Don't say that too loud, Princess." Suddenly, Maki slid out from behind a statue Sonia was standing near, and plucked the magazine out of her hands. "Even if you may have a point there."

The three other students jumped back. Peko instinctively reached for her sword. "That's... I didn't even know you were in here."

"Impressed? I've always been told I'm pretty light on my feet." Maki started skimming the article Sonia was talking about. "But Sonia has a point. Serial killers don't think the same way as everyone else. They have completely different values, opinions, and motivations. That's why people like me are so important, people who can bridge the gap between the sane and the twisted."

"Um... What's your point?" Hajime asked.

"Nothing. I'm just rambling. Though, if you do want me to add an lesson, I'll tell you this: You don't need a twisted mind to have a motive for murder. As an enemy of mine once said, there are about as many reasons to kill as there are people on earth. Do with that what you will."

Sonia nearly squeed. "That reminds me, Maki, if you don't mind, would you care to share some of your stories with me? I've never had the chance to hear about the criminal mind from someone with first-hand experience before!"

"It would be my honour. Perhaps while we're at it, you could teach me a thing or two about Novoselican culture." She started eyeing the shelves around them. "Although I'd be surprised if I couldn't find out something in one of these books."

Sonia nodded. "I am a little surprised! I never expected to find such a splendid facility. It rivals even my homeland's national library..."

"But isn't it strange?" Hajime wondered. "I mean, does a resort really need a library like this?

"That is very true and... just as expected, nobody is here either." Sonia noted.

"You're right... The fact that we're the only humans around here is even more strange..."

"Tadaaaa! Monomi is here! I'm reading a book!" Monomi suddenly appeared and, true to her words, had a textbook opened up in front of her. "Ah, since you've come here, would you like me to explain this library to you?"

"I-I see..." Sonia muttered, looking away.

"It's clear from your face I'm a nuisance... Since I was more energetic than usual... I feel even emptier now..."

"...And what about your explanation?" Hajime asked.

"Well, you're basically all student, right? I was thinking you needed a place where you could do homework... Soooo, I have prepared this library!"

"Prepared... You?" Sonia asked.

"Well that's pretty stupid." Maki said. "Isn't the point of most school trips that the students go to some place educational, like a museum, so they don't really have to do homework while they're there? Also, you haven't exactly assigned any schoolwork for us to be doing, anyway."

Monomi shot Maki the closest thing her face could make to a dirty look. "Anyway, with this, everyone can get along and study together. It's a student's duty to study."

"...Don't act like a teacher." Hajime told her blankly.

"I am a teacher!" She snapped.

Hajime stared for another few seconds before shaking his head. "...You... You're even more confusing than Monokuma. So what's your real identity? What's your purpose?"

"R-Real identity...? Now that's silly... G-Good-bye!"

"Running away as soon as things get inconvenient... That's even more suspicious."

"I cannot believe that she is the one that prepared this grand facility." Sonia said.

"Yeah, she's probably lying."

"According to this island's guidebook, many of their guests are wealthy and stay for weeks at a time... These are all probably things that they donated."

"H-Hold on. Did you just say this island's guidebook?"

"I found it in this library. Would you like to take a look?"

She laid it out on the table, and the other three crowded around to get a look. Hajime scratched his head. "...Wh-What language is this? I have no clue..."

"Jabberwock Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean known for being a paradise of eternal summer..." Maki whispered quickly in another language as her eyes moved across the text.

"You can read it, Maki?" Hajime asked, impressed.

"It's English. I might not look it, since I take after my mom, but I'm only half-Japanese. My dad's American, so I learned English from him. Though translating on the spot might be a little out of my skill range."

"Then I shall read it on your behalf." Sonia decided.

"You too, Sonia?"

"Mmhm, I am fluent in thirty different languages. It is a requirement for members of the royal family." As Maki let out a low whistle, Sonia picked up the guidebook and began reading. "Jabberwock Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean known for being a paradise of eternal summer... That is what it says. This is... exactly what Byakuya told us before. Jabberwock Island consists of a small central island surrounded by five other islands. The outer islands were developed as resorts, while the central island houses a large administrative building... Huh? Th-That is strange... I mean... the central island of Jabberwock Island..."

"There was no sign of any buildings at all..." Hajime said. "The only things there were... Monokuma Rock and the park."

"A-Also, according to this guidebook... It says that there is a bronze statue in the lobby of that building which symbolizes the island..."

"Huh... isn't that...!?" Hajime fumbled for a moment. "Are you talking about... that bronze statue that turned into the Monobeasts? But... that statue was in the middle of a park, not in the lobby of some building."

"Th-That is not all... There is another description that strikes me as strange. According to this guidebook, the only way to travel between the five islands is by boat..."

"...Huh?"

"While some people wanted bridges, critics worried about their effect on the environment, so none were built..."

"Wh-What does that mean?" Hajime asked. "Then... what are we using to move between islands...?"

"...I may have an idea." Maki spoke up. "It's possible this isn't the real Jabberwock. It could be an artificial island like Palm Jumeirah."

"Palm Jumeirah...? Artificial island...?"

"Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island and tourist site located in Dubai. I... visited with my family once." She explained, fingering her cat-ear hairband. "In a similar way, this island might be artificial, but just designed to look like Jabberwock."

"Th-That especially might be why... we are the only ones on this island..." Sonia agreed, before adding, "...Well, something like that would be impossible anyway. No island of this size could be completely artificial. This guidebook must be old, too. It contradicts everything about the island's current situation..."

"My my... you're very intuitive to assume this is an artificial island!" Monokuma praised, suddenly appearing on the table before them.

"Now _you're _here!?" Hajime jumped.

"However, those guys are the only ones who could do something on such a massive scale!"

"Th-Those guys...?"

"The hint is... You know, the enormous organization you guys were talking about before. Hmmmm... it's true that those guys totally deserve to be called a horrible group of people."

"Wh-Who are you talking about...?" Hajime asked.

"Oops... that was a slip of the tongue... I should excuse myself before it leaks onto the internet..."

"H-Hey! Hold on a sec!"

"Could it be...this island is completely artificial...?" Sonia wondered. "There is no way that is true..."

"Th-There's no way..." Hajime agreed. "That guidebook... it's probably just old."

"You... are right..."

"Well, this was nice, but I think I'm going to go now." Maki said, making her way to the door. Before she made it, however, she held up the guidebook that was now in her hands. "Oh, do you guys care if I keep this? Even if a lot of it is outdated, I'd still like to learn a bit more about this island."

"Of course..." Sonia said.

"I don't mind." Peko said.

"Yeah, go ahead." Hajime added.

"Thanks."

* * *

The Ultimate Imposter walked across the parking lot leading to a diner. The signboard labelled it as "Pork Burger." He had never hear of any chain with that name, so it must have been locally owned. It was a shame it wasn't fast food, he thought, but he decided that a greasy spoon was close enough.

"Oh... hey, Byakuya." Behind him, he heard Hajime's voice call out to him.

"...Hello, Hajime. You've arrived just in time. You can help me investigate this diner."

"A diner, huh...?" He stared at the sign.

"Indeed. The name gives me something to look forward to. Did you know that pork is the most energy-efficient meat that there is?"

"I'll... keep that in mind. Anyway, I guess we should head inside now."

The two boys stepped inside, hearing the bell above them chime with the door, and noticed that someone else was already there. Sitting at one of the tables, with a burger in hand, was Fuyuhiko.

"Oh... it's you..." He muttered, before raising his voice. "I'm trying to eat right now! Go away, you dumbasses!"

"Hey, why are you here?" Hajime asked. "How'd you find out we can go to this island?"

"Are you a monkey or something? Do you not understand human language? I told you to leave me alone when I'm eating!... Hmph, an annoying person went out of their way to tell me. Then I found this place, and now I'm eating here because I'm hungry. Mystery solved! You happy now? So... get the fuck outta here and go somewhere else."

"Hey, about that annoying person..."

"Huuuh!? Mind your own business! It's got nothing to do with you!"

"Fuyuhiko..." The Imposter interrupted him. "I'm not going to pretend to know what you're thinking, but we're all on one boat here. If this ship sinks, you're going down just as quickly as the rest of us, and not a moment later. If you want to get off of this island, the best way you can do it is by working with us. So... why are you avoiding associating with us?"

"Hmph... I'm not avoiding you bastards... I've just decided not to rely on anyone."

"Not to rely on anyone...?" Hajime repeated.

"That includes the Kuzuryu clan... I can still survive without relying on them..."

"...Huh? Hey... are you actually..."

"Don't get it twisted. I'm a yakuza by blood. It's not like I don't want to head the family business someday. I just want to prove that I earned it. Prove I can tough it on my own without relying on my clan. Plus... even if I fail, the clan will still be around. My little sister would be happy to lead it..."

"Oh... you have a little sister?" Hajime asked.

"Sh-Shut up! Why'd you let me bring that up anyway!? Anyway, I don't intend to spend any time with you guys. Nothing good can come of it."

"N-Nothing good can come of it...?"

"Hmph, isn't it obvious...? In this kind of situation, interacting with others will just shorten your lifespan... Those idiots, Teruteru and Kazuichi, are proof of that. Plus... it'd be frustrating to be held back by affection when it's my time to kill!"

"I see... you're still saying that..." The Imposter noted.

"Of course... I'll sacrifice the lives of everyone here if it guarantees my survival."

"Even if you don't actually mean that... You're awful just for saying it...!" Hajime said.

"Heh... You're the one who spoke to me without my permission, so don't get pissed at me. If you're so upset, you don't have to stick around. Fuck off."

"...Let's go, Hajime." The Imposter decided. As he and Hajime headed for the door, he turned to Fuyuhiko one last time. "...I know that I'm not one to lecture you, but I do hope that you reconsider your approach in the future, before something goes terribly wrong..."

"Yeah, whatever. Are you gonna leave or not?"

With a sad nod, the Imposter followed Hajime out onto the parking lot.

"I guess he's still Fuyuhiko, huh?" Hajime said.

"Yeah. We can't push him any further than we already have. If he's going to change, it's up to himself at this point..." He took a moment to check his watch. "Well, putting that aside for now, I'm going to continue exploring the island. Where are you headed?"

"I think I'm going to go down that tunnel. What's the sign say? Chandler Beach?"

The Imposter nodded. "Well, I'll leave you to it, then. If you find something of interest, though, be sure to tell me."

"I will." And with that, the two boys went their separate ways.

* * *

"What the heck is this...?" Nekomaru asked. "Such a gigantic building."

"However, it is clearly faded..." Sonia noted. "It looks like an ancient ruin."

"It seems... Perhaps this is an actual ancient ruin?" Peko suggested.

"H-How should I say this... Don't you think this building... resembles a school?"

"Well, Chiaki? You said you noticed something?" Maki pushed.

"I'll fucking cut you if this was a waste of time." Fuyuhiko threatened.

"I... didn't know _you _were also here." Mahiru said.

"That bitch over there kept bugging me... so I finally came."

"Did you maybe find a way to get off this island?" Ibuki asked.

"Nope. Nothing like that." Chiaki told them.

"Aww, then who cares?" Hiyoko groaned. "I should have played in the bath with Mahiru more."

"Then... what in the world did you find?" Gundham asked.

As she took a moment to load, Hajime prodded her along, "Hey Chiaki, what did you find? If it's not a way off this island... Does it have something to do with this island's secret?"

"Hmm, about that... I don't know."

"What do you mean... you don't know?" Peko asked.

"...It's like it doesn't belong with a building like this... I keep thinking about it and it feels unnatural. It's like... a comic book originally about baseball becoming a side-scrolling action game... It's unnatural like that."

"...That's a little hard to understand." Hajime admitted.

"Look, that door over there." She pointed out.

Everyone walked closer to the building. Hajime stood right in front of a large, circular vault door. "It's hard to make out from all the dust but... this is the door you mean, right?"

"Yeah, it looks like that's the door to the ruin."

"So what's wrong with this door? Can you go in?" Mahiru asked.

"Before we attempt to go inside... Let's try brushing off some of this dust and clearing some of these root things off the door. If you do... I'm pretty sure you'll understand what I mean by "unnatural"."

"I'm not sure I follow, but... I supposed we should at least hear you out." Byakuya decided as he stepped forward and started brushing off the dust.

"Y-You're right..." Hajime agreed, following his lead.

Soon, half the class was working on the door, as Chiaki instructed them. Eventually, the meaning behind her words were made clear.

"What is this... door...?" Hajime asked. "It doesn't feel like it belongs in an ancient ruin..."

"It's like... a door from a sci-fi movie, don't you think?" Mahiru suggested. "It definitely doesn't fit with an ancient ruin..."

"And... what is this symbol on the door?" Hajime asked, inspecting it from different angles.

"No doubt about it, it's Japanese." Maki said, as if everyone were expecting an alien language. "It says mirai. Future."

"Hey, who cares about a symbol on the door!?" Fuyuhiko asked. "More importantly... how do you open it? What's inside?"

"It looks like there's a liquid crystal display next to the door... Could the two be related?" Mahiru asked.

"Oh, right! That must be the key to open the door! It's probably set to open when you type the password!" The yakuza approached the display.

"Acting all high and mighty..." Hiyoko muttered. "So what's next? It's obviously impossible to put in the password without any hints."

"Well, not impossible." Maki made her way to Fuyuhiko's side, inspecting the display. "It's numerical, alphabetical, and includes an "at" symbol, a period, a slash, and an equals. We should also include blanks, since there's an enter key. It appears it can fill up to 6 spaces, so that's... over 4 billion combinations, assuming my math checks out. So a... 0.000000025% chance of inputting it on the first try."

"You know what I meant, you annoying nerd." Hiyoko spat. "When _normal_ people say "impossible," they mean something that's really unlikely to happen, like that!"

"I know that. I just like pissing you off."

"Still, you got a point, right?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Even with such a low chance, if we just keep typing shit, we gotta get it eventually..."

"Ah, I think we should wait." Chiaki warned. "Doesn't that seem dangerous?"

"Hm? What do you mean, "dangerous"?"

"Cuz... that thing next to the panel, doesn't it look like a gun?" Chiaki pointed out. "...In fact, that's totally a gun."

"G-Gun..." Everyone's gaze turned to follow where she was pointing, and only then did they all back away from the door. Hajime screamed. "Huh!? That's a gun!?"

"If it is... It's probably very dangerous. It's possible you might get shot if you mess up the password... Right?"

"Dammit...!" Fuyuhiko growled as he backed up. "I-It can't be helped... Looks like... it's better if we don't mess with it... for now..."

"Kehehe... he's totally freaked out..." Hiyoko laughed.

"Shut the hell up! You do it then!"

"But still... A building that looks like an ancient ruin, with a door that looks like it's from a sci-fi film... It's definitely unnatural. This is probably an important place." Chiaki hinted. Unfortunately, due to her programming, she couldn't just hand out the answer, so she needed to improvise as best she could.

"Question is, how is it important?" Maki asked. She was the only one who hadn't stepped away from the door, and in fact, was inspecting the gun barrel dangerously close.

"Um..." Monomi popped up out of nowhere next to the group.

"Um..." Monokuma did the same.

"...You're both quiet?" Peko asked.

"You guys know about this buildin' too, right!?" Akane asked. "Just be honest with us!"

"No... I have no... I have no idea at all..." Monomi claimed.

"I... don't know either..." Monokuma agreed.

"For now... everyone should focus on gathering the Hope Fragments..." Monomi told them.

"For some reason, I find that hard to believe." Byakuya said. "If all you're going to do is tell some weak lies, you shouldn't even bother showing up."

"You guys are probably the ones who covered that door in dust, right?" Hiyoko guessed.

"Ah, just as I thought, you guys were hiding it on purpose, right...?" Mikan accused.

"Hey, don't talk like we're equals, you trashy bitch!" Hiyoko shouted, turning on her.

"Eeek! I-I'm sorry!"

"Say you're sorry, bitch!"

"I-I just said it! I just said... I'm sorry!"

"Is it possible that... there is a connection between this door and the reason this island is uninhabited?" Nekomaru suggested. "For example, this place might be a shelter, and there might be natives inside."

"Is something happening that would make them hide in a shelter? If so... we're all screwed."

"Hmmm, several possibilities cross my mind." Monokuma said. "But it looks like there's no way to confirm it yet. That door is really sturdy. But... not in a material sense. More essential than that."

"...Huh? What're ya sayin'?" Akane asked.

"For instance... even though Monomi and I can come and go as we please, we can't enter what's beyond this door."

"Huh? You can't go inside, too?" Monomi asked. "Does that mean you're the same as me and-"

"Heeeey! Keep your tongue in your mouth!" Monokuma scolded, throwing a rapid combo of punches that sent her flying.

"UGYAAAAAAA! My body can't handle a supersonic meteor rush like that!"

"There... now that I've shut up my sister with a fantastic Pegasus Meteor Fist... This is the mystery of Jabberwock Island. A mystery that even Monomi and I can't solve. That's why I have high expectations for you guys! One day, you'll be able to solve that mystery!"

"Heh, that seems easy enough..." Fuyuhiko boasted. "All we gotta do is remember what that black and white tanuki said before."

"There's a traitor among us... That's what that ugly tanuki said before." Hiyoko recalled.

"Ahhhhaahaha! Calling me ugly and a tanuki... Those kinds of silly names don't depress me in the slightest!" Monokuma said, while looking very depressed.

"He's totally depressed!" Ibuki noted, in case anyone missed that.

"If there's a "traitor," they probably know how to open the door, right?" Fuyuhiko explained. "And there's probably boats or a way to contact the outside world beyond that door."

"Or... maybe whoever's controlling Monokuma and Monomi is hiding there!" Mahiru guessed.

"B-But... do you really think there's a traitor among us?" Mikan asked.

"Of course there is!" Fuyuhiko snapped. He turned to the group. "Who the hell is it!? Hurry up and confess!"

"Th-There isn't... There's no traitor... anywhere!" Monomi argued.

"Monokuma... what about you? You're the one who mentioned it..."

Suddenly, the bear burst out into a bout of giggles.

"...What's so funny?" Gundham asked.

"Oh, just... Have you guys heard of an organization called World Ender?"

"...World Ender?" Hajime repeated.

"I-I'm the one asking you a question!" Fuyuhiko reminded him. "Don't just change the subject!"

"I understand why you'd want to just ignore it... World Ender is such an embarrassing name. So embarrassing that only middle school students... no, wait, elementary school students would come up with it. But the name is unavoidable because that organization actually exists!"

"So what is this... organization?" Peko asked.

"It's literally what it says... Those guys ended the world!"

"E-Ended the world!?" Mikan shrieked.

"...That's no an overstatement or a metaphor, you know. Those guys really did end the world. So don't you think it's appropriate to call them World Ender?"

"You mean... they're a terrorist organization...?" Peko ventured.

"Terrorist, huh... That might be accurate. But only losers are terrorists. If they manage to win, they become "heroes". In that sense... they're more like heroes. They're the heroes who ended the world!"

"S-So what?" Mahiru asked. "Don't say things that don't make sense! Don't tell me you're gonna say this organization is the one putting us through all this crap...?"

"World Ender..." Nekomaru muttered. "Are you saying that you and Monomi... are also members of that organization?"

"Who knows?" Monokuma answered unhelpfully. "The only thing I can tell you is... The organization that the traitor is working for, the ones who brought you to this island... World Ender is behind it all."

"Don't panic..." Peko warned the group. "It's just another made up story to trick us, like when he said we lost our school memories. I can't suspend my disbelief for something as ridiculous as "World Ender"... There's no way that organization... or the traitor exists!"

"Monokuma... I shall listen to you spout nonsense all you want, while I puff cigar smoke at your lifeless body." Gundham boasted.

"My my... I was kind enough to keep you guys informed. Are you calling me a liar!? Gnnnngh... if you keep acting like that, I'll do "this" and "that" to your various body parts...! Anyway, I'm telling the truth! There is an outsider in your group! The World Ender organization is the final boss of this island! One of their members is hiding among you guys! That's why... you guys gotta find that traitor and kill them dead!"

"H-Hey! You better stop..." Monomi warned.

"Shut up, Monomi! Big brother-defying trash like you needs to be punished!"

"Noooo! Don't pull my ears! They're gonna come... come off!" Monomi whined as she was dragged away. With that, both mascots disappeared from sight.

"Wh-What was that... just now...?" Hajime asked.

"Not a clue..." Sonia answered.

Chiaki yawned and loaded for a moment. She eyed the horizon. "...For now... since the sun is setting, we should just go home for the day. I think... it's a waste of time for us to keep thinking about this."

"Y-You're probably right..." Hajime agreed.

"But it's getting dark soon, so going home might be a better idea." Mahiru agreed. "...Let's just call it a day."

With that, each of the students started making their way to the first island, where their beds awaited them. Chiaki stayed back for a bit, inspecting the ruins further. After a while, Monomi reappeared next to her.

"Do you know what's behind that door, Chiaki?" She asked.

"Not exactly, but dad gave me a general idea. He told me that, if the Teacher ever became corrupted, I had to protect the students until they were able to open this door. I really hope there aren't any more deaths before then..."

"Me too. I guess that means I'll have to try extra hard to take down the Monobeasts, huh?"

"Yeah. In the meantime, I'll keep writing those reports to you. Let's do our best!"

"Of course! For our parents at the Future Foundation, and for my students, we'll do out very best!"

* * *

**Alright, I think that's everything that's important. Foreshadowing for Sparkling Justice, foreshadowing for Fuyuhiko, and foreshadowing for the existence of a traitor.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see some more of Albert and friends, and a motive might be revealed.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey, sorry this took so long, work really dug into my schedule. Either way, this chapter is mostly talking, and a motive is revealed at the end, so stay tuned for that. Also, we get to see more of Albert for a little while, which is always nice to have.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Playing Games**

Compared to how tense it was during the trial yesterday, the atmosphere in the observation room was almost relaxing. Almost.

It was meant to be Chiaki's shift at this time, but her emotional state wasn't the best, so Celeste offered to swap shifts with her. I was confused why Celeste of all people would want a larger workload, but I figured she probably decided that, since the only thing she could do on this island was play with her cards, it wouldn't make a difference whether or not she also had to watch people while she played.

Since nothing too eventful was happening while the students investigated the island, she managed to talk me into playing cards with her, so she wasn't stuck with solitaire. I told her I didn't like poker, especially when I'm trying to concentrate on a group of children, so we met in the middle and played Go Fish all day.

I watched each of the student bed up for the night, thoughts of their discoveries filling my head. I was still searching for evidence that I didn't have to prove Maki's innocence. With every passing moment, she just looked more and more guilty. I was starting to believe that maybe deleting her would be the best course of action, maybe there wasn't anything to lose. Still, I really didn't want to take that chance.

"Did you notice?" Celeste asked. "While Monokuma was making his speech about "World Ender," he made reference to a member of the organization. No doubt he meant Alter Ego Chiaki. However, he didn't make any reference to Maki or her situation. Is that not odd?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's proof they're in cahoots or whatever." I said. "Got any fives?"

"Go Fish." She said. I added a card to my hand. "I'm not sure why you're so adamant about defending her, when so much points to her being an enemy. Are you perhaps smitten with her?"

"Nah. She's cute, but her personality leaves something to be desired. Hey, kinda like you, now that I think about it."

"Okay, that's just rude. Got any queens?"

I revealed my queen, and handed it over. "Either way, I wouldn't expect you to understand, considering you would've willingly killed everyone just for some money."

She glared at me. "You know, Al, it's behaviour like this why you're still in E rank."

I rolled my eyes. "Like I care about your dumb ranking system. Got any twos?"

"Go Fish. In that case, please enlighten me, why do you care so much about this random girl who you're not even sure is human?"

"Because, it's like I said last night. I just can't abandon empathy for another person like that. Even if there's a 1 percent chance that she's human, I have to keep her alive."

Celeste considered my words for a while. Finally, she said, "Got any sevens?" I handed her my seven. "...Okay, let me ask you this, then. Assuming she is real, what if she was about to kill one of your friends, say... Chihiro, and the only way you could stop her was with lethal force. Would you still stand by and hold onto your ideals?"

"I... I don't know." I admitted.

"It's a simple question."

"No, it really isn't. You're asking me to choose between part of who I am, and something I care about. That'd be like if I asked you to choose between never being rich and powerful, or never telling a lie again. You wouldn't be able to answer, right?"

"...I suppose you have a point."

"Obviously, you'd be fine with killing someone to protect what you care about, in the same way I'd be cool with never lying again. Like Byakuya says, judging other people's values based on your own outlook is extremely dangerous. You can't just ask me to become a murderer. If I just went and did that... I'd be spitting on everyone who died to get me this far."

"You have some interesting ideas about honouring the dead, don't you? Perhaps you could be the Ultimate Mortician." She added a short laugh after the last part, to make it clear she wasn't serious. "Still... it does make me wonder how horrifying you would be if you were to become an Ultimate Despair."

"That's what I'm worried about. Not even the Despair thing, just... what are my limits? Like that question you asked me... Would I kill someone in order to protect my friends? I don't know. I don't know how far someone would have to push me before I break... Something similar happened in Towa, you know. Even before I realized all those kids were being held hostage, when I thought it was only Byakuya, I still told Makoto not to send in reinforcements. It wasn't quite the same thing, since I still had the chance to save at least most of the civilians, but I was still taking a huge risk just to save one guy."

"And Byakuya is hardly your favourite in our class."

"Exactly. How far would I be willing to go for Chihiro or Makoto? I don't know."

Celeste seemed to realize that we weren't really playing anymore, as she set down her hand of cards. Grand Bois Cheri must have also realized this, because he jumped out of her lap and onto the table. His tail scattered the deck of cards all over the place. Celeste grabbed a nearby lint roller and swiped it across her skirt, picking up all the stray grey cat hair stuck to it.

The fat feline made his way toward me. I slowly rose from my chair and backed away. "Celeste, remember when I said I was allergic to cats? I'd really prefer not to have a stuffy nose on top of everything..."

"Grand Bois Cheri, come back here right now." She demanded. When he did not immediately obey her, she reached across the table and snatched him up.

"You said he was acting weird lately, right?" I recalled.

"Ever since we got to this island. Though this is the first time he went after a person."

"A person? As opposed to...?"

"Well, he usually spaces out and stares at a wall for a while. Every so often, he'll make his way to the computer over there. It's like he's distracted by something that isn't there..."

I laughed. "Well, they do say some animals have a sixth sense. Maybe he's just drawn to me because of all my misfortune and negative energy."

That earned a light laugh from Celeste. "Don't be ridiculous, Al. Besides, wouldn't an animal be afraid of someone who brings misfortune? Perhaps Grand Bois Cheri sees something in you that even you don't know is there. Something nice and peaceful."

"Is that your attempt at cheering someone up?" I shook my head with a smirk. "And what, you don't buy supernatural stuff, but you want a castle full of vampire butlers?"

"How did you...?" She paused when she realized who she was talking to. "It's scary how much you know about us, and how little we still know about you."

"Hey, I'm an open book. If you don't know something about me, it's because you didn't ask. But don't worry, I won't make fun of you for wanting vampire boyfriends. To tell you the truth, I've always wanted a pet dragon, myself."

"_Okay_, I think that's enough for one day." She said. "You're still clearly mentally exhausted."

"And physically." I added. "Don't forget physically. It's not my fault I have trouble sleeping. Every time I close my eyes, I'm back at the killing game..."

"I can certainly sympathize with that." She admitted. "Still, I'm sure there's no shortage of sleep medication on this island."

"Yeah, I guess." I rubbed my forehead. "Hey, maybe the next time I see her, I could ask Seiko to make me something."

"Who?"

"The Former Ultimate Pharmacist. She's the branch head of the 4th Division. Her and I never really talked, but she was in Toshihide's class before the Tragedy, so I guess we have... or, had a common friend. Also, I'm pretty sure she's related to Susumu, but I never asked her about that..."

"I didn't need to know all that, but thank you, Mr. Exposition." She said. "You really should go and try to get some sleep, though. You're only going to be getting in the way when you're sleep-deprived, you know."

"Thanks, Celeste. I didn't know you cared so much." I got up and headed for the door. "I'll see you in the morning, alright?"

As she picked up her scattered cards, she bid me farewell. "Yes, see you then. Oh, and I'm still three wins ahead of you."

I nodded and made my way out of the building. What I didn't tell her was that my next destination was actually the archives, what the Future Foundation had turned what was left of the library into. I may not be able to gleam much by watching the students sleep, but I may be able to find out something by re-reading what little information we have.

* * *

The next morning, Maki found herself listening intently to the others in the dining hall. She didn't contribute to the conversation herself, but took interest into each of the students' opinions on the matter at hand. As Hajime entered last, she called out to him, "Hey, Hajime, right on time. What do you think?"

"What do I think... about what?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious? What we discovered yesterday, about the traitor and World Ender and whatnot. Do you have any ideas?"

"After one night's sleep... there's no way I'd suddenly find out anything."

"Well, that's obvious..." Mahiru said. "The same goes for me, too."

"I didn't get enough sleep last night because of that baffling nonsense." Peko admitted.

"B-But... I wonder if it's really true... That there's a traitor among us..." Mikan said.

"No need to worry! You don't have to worry about the traitor at all!" Nekomaru insisted.

"H-However... if, by chance, a worst-case scenario..."

"Impossible! Even in a worst-case scenario! You don't have to worry about the traitor!"

"What do you mean?" Hiyoko asked. "You're being awfully certain about it."

"Of course! In fact, that so-called traitor is tied up at the moment and can't move at all!"

"...Huh?" Hajime exchanged glances with several of the other students. Maki nearly choked on her toast, and glared daggers at Nekomaru.

"Tied up... you say..." Sonia repeated. "Um... Could you be... referring to Nagito, whom we have not seen since yesterday?"

"Who else could it be!?" He asked. "Nagito's the traaaaaitor!"

"Wh-What about that other part?" Hajime asked. "Where you said he was tied up and can't move..."

Nekomaru's expression made it clear he had put his foot in his mouth. After a moment, he shouted, "AW CRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!" Then, he started glancing around the room. "H-Hey, Maki! What should I do!?"

"You imbecile! Don't rope me into this!" She groaned as everyone's gaze fell on her. "You know, I shouldn't have expected the loudmouth to stay quiet. This is my fault, really. I had too much faith."

"...Hey, what does this mean?" Mahiru asked sternly.

"Look, I wasn't going to let him off the hook just because the fireworks didn't hit him, alright?" Maki said. "We can't let someone like him run around free. He's too dangerous."

"Teruteru died because that guy tempted him, right...?" Nekomaru asked. "So that makes him a killer too! It's necessary to deal with him in an appropriate way."

"So that's why you left him tied up..." Peko nodded in understanding. "However... that cannot be helped. He is quite dangerous."

"How should I put this... he's a little creepy..." Mikan agreed. "Ah, not that I want to badmouth him."

"He's not a little creepy, he's creepy to the max!" Ibuki shouted. "His creepiness is so high he could sell tickets to see it!"

"Hmph, that's truly a nice line." Gundham remarked. "Every fibre of my being agrees with you. That's right, there is no existence more troublesome than that of an incomprehensible human... What they like and what they hate... What makes them happy, what makes them angry... It's normal for all beings to have standards rooted in experience so they can predict their opponent's actions. But at times... those standards do not work on certain opponents. Those are the most fearsome opponents of all. Establishing a relationship with such a human... is impossible."

"You should be careful." Mahiru warned him. "You're teetering on the edge yourself."

"No, no. He's got an interesting viewpoint." Maki argued. "Gundham, with a little effort, you could make a good psychologist."

"Thank you, but you can keep your domain with the humans. I'm more comfortable mastering the behaviour of beasts for the time being."

"Anyway, where did you two tie up Nagito?" Mahiru asked.

"The dining hall in the old building. I figured it would be a while before anyone found him there."

"That's... where Teruteru got killed...!" Hajime realized.

"He needs to reflect on what he did in that place..." Nekomaru said.

"So you're saying it's better to kill off a troublesome ally before they turn into an enemy." Hiyoko laughed.

"Gaaah! You killed him!?" Mikan shrieked.

"No, Hiyoko's just being a little snot." Maki shot. "We just knocked him out so we could tie him up."

"Then what shall we do with Nagito at this point?" Peko asked. "Let's hear everyone's opinion."

"Hmm... it's not safe to let him walk around freely." Mahiru admitted. "There's no telling what he'll end up doing next..."

"He's also the most likely person to be the traitor." Hiyoko said.

"So isn't it okay if we just keep him tied up for a while?" Akane asked between bites of food.

"If so... It seems it would be better to watch him for a while." Sonia decided.

"But it would be bad if we don't let him eat or drink." Hajime said. "He might end up dying for real..."

"Well obviously, I wasn't going to let him starve." Maki defended. "I was going to sneak him some food after breakfast."

"Jeez... I didn't expect you two would do something like that..." Mahiru scolded.

"And I really don't get why you aren't treating it like a good thing."

"Teehee... and I thought that tiny boy was up to something again..." Hiyoko teased.

"Who are you calling "tiny boy"?" Fuyuhiko asked, making his way up the stairs.

"Wah! You're here!?"

Fuyuhiko shook his head. "It figures... You guys are messed up. Is that what you guys do? If you don't like your "buddy," you corner them... Tch, look at you sheep acting all righteous."

"Nagito is far from our "buddy"." Maki argued. "He's actively trying to halt our progress because of his ideals. He's our enemy."

"Oh? Did the shitty sheep all bleat at me?"

"...As a word of warning, if you don't want to join him in the chains, you'll stop being such a hindrance yourself."

"Try it if you dare, bitch!"

"Your threats are weak. I've dealt with some twisted monsters over the years, real criminals. Without the Kuzuryu Clan to hide behind, you're just a cowardly crook."

"Wh-What did you say...!?"

"...Enough." Peko said. "Knock it off, you two."

Fuyuhiko silently boiled as he glanced between her and Maki. When he had calmed down, he said, "...Y-You bastards... I'll make sure you regret that later...!"

Maki rolled her eyes as he left the restaurant. "What a fool..."

"Maki... let us stop this already." Sonia begged.

"Jeez, all this fighting... I can tell it's not going to be easy in the future..." Mahiru said.

"The future... huh... I wonder if we even have a future..." Mikan said quietly.

"Hey, don't start mumbling like that! If you do that, I'll get depressed too!"

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"Either way, I believe we should get to work." Byakuya said. "We truly won't have a future if we can't find a way off this island."

The other students agreed, and finished up their meals before heading out.

* * *

The bell of the diner door rung as Maki pushed her way inside. It was about noon, and everyone had been investigating the new island thoroughly for the last few hours, some more than others. Maki had taken a break from reading her case binders, and instead spent the morning investigating with everyone else, if only because the sunshine was good for her skin.

Her eyes turned to the only other customer in the diner. Byakuya had in his hands a double-decker cheeseburger and a milkshake. "Hello."

"Hey. Eating our sorrows away, are we?"

He sighed. "Is it that obvious? I've been doing my best to hide my thoughts from the others."

"Yeah, well, unfortunately I'm just that good at reading people. But in all seriousness, you've got me worried. You've only been talking when issuing a command or something, and even then, it's toned down. Really, you're just throwing around suggestions like everyone else. That's not like you."

"What do you know about the real me?" He asked.

She couldn't think of an answer. She walked up to the counter. "So, is this place self-serve or something?"

"Not quite. Just state your order."

"Um, okay. I'd like a cheeseburger, smashed, some fries, and... I don't know, a coke?"

Suddenly, a Monokuma appeared behind the counter, wearing a classic white diner hat. It held a ticket in its hand, which it passed through the window to the kitchen. A moment later, a tray containing Maki's order was passed through, and the Monokuma passed it to Maki.

As she grabbed it and turned away, she muttered, "Queer..." under her breath. She made her way over to Byakuya's table, and took a seat directly across from him. "My figure's going to hate me for this later, but I currently couldn't care less."

He forced a smile. "It's like I always say: People will flake out and let you down, but carbs are always there."

"Right..." She took note of the fact that he sounded like he was talking from experience. She eyed his expression with her heterochromatic gaze, but he betrayed nothing. "Well, anyway, all I really wanted was to make sure you're still good. If one person loses it, the whole group's going to suffer, you know?"

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll cut myself out at the first sign that I'm causing problems. But I also don't see myself as fit to lead anymore. If you care to take up the mantle, feel free."

She laughed. "God, no. Hopefully, my days being burdened by a group are over."

"I take it you had bad experiences with leading in the past?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Something like that. Let's just say I fit better in an advisory role. Though I must say, I didn't think the Ultimate Affluent Progeny would be able to self-reflect so well. Honestly, I assumed a Togami would be too prideful to admit when they went wrong."

"Don't you get it? I failed. I swore on the Togami name that I would keep this group safe, and I failed. I'm not worthy of the name Byakuya Togami."

"...I know a thing or two about living up to expectations. But the way I see it, if you're not worthy of something, do you really need it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... Say I was in a similar situation in the past. Let's say I had a name, and identity, that I tried to live up to. But then I failed to meet those expectations. Personally, I'd just change. Change the identity that people wanted me to live up to. They tell you success requires hard work and dedication, but if you're smart enough and don't mind settling for something less, you could just change the goalposts to something more manageable."

As Byakuya finished his burger, he seemed to consider what she told him.

"Of course, I guess it would be a little trickier to pull off if you're such an influential figure like Byakuya Togami. It would really suck to have so many people rely on you."

The boy seemed to be considering the door. He checked his watch, sighed, then pushed his empty milkshake cup to the side. "Waiter, keep 'em coming!"

The two continued their conversation well into the afternoon.

* * *

"Ahem... Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... Emergency, emergency! Students, head over to Jabberwock Park as fast as you can! Come on, hurry up! Whoever gets there first, I'll treat you to my special-made curry rice tomorrow night! Come on, hurry the eff up!"

In accordance with Monokuma's overly-pushy announcement, the students headed straight for the park. Of course, their main motivator was the threat of an uncertain death rather than the thought of eating some curry rice made by an animatronic teddy bear. Well, barring one student...

Akane pumped her fist in the air as she arrived at the deserted park. She quickly scanned the area, and saw that she was alone. "Yahoo! I'm the first one here! The curry's all mine!"

Hajime, who arrived seconds behind her, shook his head in disappointment.

Sonia, despite not reaching first place, shared Akane's excitement. "Indeed, I wonder what kind of curry it is!"

Hajime stared slack-jawed. "You too...!"

Ibuki arrived next, in the middle of a thought. "What's the scientific term for when you get hungry after hearing the word, "curry"!?"

Fifth was Fuyuhiko. "You guys are fucking stupid... Don't get worked up over something so idiotic..."

"Finally, there's something we can both agree on." Maki said as she arrived. "But it's at least impressive that everyone can get so distracted despite our situation. Isn't that right, Byakuya?" She turned expectantly to the rotund boy next to her.

His eyes wandered to everyone who arrived before him. "...I'm assuming this means I'm too late for the curry, then?"

Fuyuhiko facepalmed before shouting, "Hey, where the hell is Monokuma!? Get out here!"

"Okie-dokie, thanks for waiting! Thanks for the miracle of waiting!" The voice of the bear rang through the park, and once every student had arrived, he appeared in front of the statue.

"Hey Monokuma! I was the first one here!" Akane declared. "That means I got dibs on the curry!"

"No need to rush, no need to rush!" He assured her. "I'll properly treat you to my special-made Monokuma Curry tomorrow night."

"M-Monokuma Curry...?" Hajime repeated.

"It's an extremely delicious curry made from unknown meat, wilted vegetables, and a mysterious brand of rice!"

"I can't imagine anything delicious... based on those ingredients..." Mahiru said.

"No worries! It takes skill to make curry nasty!" Ibuki declared.

"That is truly a nice line... but it is meaningless." Gundham countered. "Now Monokuma... let us hear what your business is. However, you should know I, the Supreme Overlord, have very little time to spare, understand? If this is something foolish, know that I will feed your remains to these beasts!"

"Huh? Huh? You haven't noticed yet? The reason why I summoned you guys... If you look closely at this park, you should be able to notice."

Everyone's gaze turned to the massive television hooked up to an arcade machine off to the side. They all had curious expressions on their faces, but Chiaki simply approached it. "Ah! Isn't this an arcade machine?"

"Puhuhu... thaaaaaat's correct! Sooooo I would like the long-awaited Recreation Time to begin!"

"Don't tell me..." Hajime groaned. "You're going to tell us to play this game..."

"Hey, what's the game?" Chiaki asked excitedly. "What games are on this?"

"I've only prepared one game, but... it's truly a gem." Monokuma assured her. "After all, it's a game that I personally created!"

"...Huh? You did?" Hajime asked.

"Then... it is not something I could possibly look forward to playing." Sonia said.

"No no, don't compare it to those amateur fanservice games... You know that famous game that everyone's been waiting for a sequel to? Well I made a brand-new game instead!"

"F-Famous game?" Hajime repeated.

"Now then, I shall present it!" Suddenly, he booted up the arcade cabinet, and the giant television lit up with it, revealing the title screen. "Tadaaaa! The name of the game is Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!"

"What the heck!? That's pretty lame!" Hiyoko said. "I wanna play games about riddle-solving professors or collecting cute monsters."

"Stupid... Don't say such silly things! What if we get weighed down by all the quarters!?"

"Twilight Syndrome is an adventure game series..." Chiaki explained. "The first one was released in 1996... It's about a group of high school girls who go exploring in order to verify numerous urban legends... The player controls the character like a side-scroller."

"I have no interest in weak things like video games!" Nekomaru declared. "And... I don't even know what generation a game that old is!"

"With your face... I find that hard to believe." Mahiru remarked.

"But adventure games are boring and tedious to play, right?" Hiyoko asked.

"Don't diss adventure games... Besides, there's a lot of reasons to make one..." Monokuma defended. "You know... like budgetary reasons!"

"Man, and I was a big fan of the series." Chiaki sighed. "I don't know why, but I feel like you totally tainted the series."

"Shouldn't you be tainting you face with tears of gratitude? I've cast a spotlight on a neglected title!"

"And what's the point of this game?" Hajime asked.

"...Hm?"

"I mean... it's not like your telling us to play it just to enjoy it, right?"

"Puhuhuhu... you certainly noticed the good part. That's right, this game is gonna be your next motive! The motive you need to kill people! After all, I'm gonna get bored if the next blackened doesn't show up soon!"

"This game is the... motive...?" Chiaki asked.

"In truth, this game's theme is a missing link. You know, it's a recurring theme for mysteries, right? It's kinda like a hidden connection."

"Wh-What... does that mean?" Mikan asked.

"If you're interested... then try playing it!"

"...O-Okay."

"You can't!" Mahiru warned. "You gotta say no! It's a trap!"

"What? Not playing would be the dumbest thing we could do." Maki argued. "What we should do is play it while we're all together like this. That way, no one's out of the loop, everyone's prepared. The difference between someone who's prepared and someone who isn't, in a situation like this, is their vital signs."

"...Wh-What do you mean?" Mahiru asked.

"If someone secretly played it on their own, they would have the advantage, right? They'd have a chance to strike while we're weak. And we'd have to spend our investigation period playing the game in order to learn their motive."

Monokuma laughed. "You guys are all enemies, you know? Is it really all right for your enemy to have an advantage? If you're going to just ignore it, then do whatever you like, even if you're fully aware of the situation. Bye byeeee!" With that, he disappeared.

"Wh-What... the heck...!" Hajime asked.

"Anyway, it would be dangerous to carelessly touched this game. There is no mistaking that." Peko decided.

"Y-You are right..." Sonia agreed. "It might be better if we wait and see how this plays out."

"Guys, I'm not going to pretend I don't know what's going on." Maki said. "You all don't trust me because I messed up once before. I made a bad call, and now you don't trust my judgement. But if we don't play this game now, it's only a matter of time before the next blackened does. At that point, they'd become a hunter. And we'll be the hunted."

"Th-That's a messed up way to think about it...!" Hajime said.

"...But it's true." Fuyuhiko agreed. "Heh... it's your loss if you end up dying. All we need to do is kill if we want to live. I don't want to end up like Teruteru or Kazuichi." With that, he turned and walked off, away from the group.

"B-But... Maki and Fuyuhiko make good points..." Mikan said.

"You too!? What're ya sayin'!?" Akane asked. "Do ya really wanna kill someone that badly!?"

"It's not like that... I mean, how can you be cautious if you don't even know the motive!?"

Mahiru shook her head. "That... That might be true, but..."

"...It doesn't matter." Chiaki decided. "Motive or otherwise, it doesn't matter... I won't let another killing happen. I will never... ever... let a killing happen."

Suddenly, a bell rang, and the monitor for the park booted to life. "Ahem... Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiiiight..."

"It's already that time, huh..." Nekomaru said. "It's better if we just break for today."

"I'll try to think about it tonight more carefully..." Mahiru said. "The correct thing for me to do... But regardless, I will never kill anyone. I mean, it's impossible."

"M-Me too... it's definitely impossible..." Mikan agreed.

"...Fine." Maki said. "I'll let it go for now. Let's hope a time doesn't come when I have to say "I told you so." I'll be holding you to your oath, Chiaki."

The girl nodded, her expression more serious than anyone had seen yet. Just as quickly as her resolve showed itself, it was replaced. She yawned deeply, and rubbed her eyes.

With that, everyone headed to their cottages for the night. The fear of the unknown hung over them all night.

* * *

**Albert had a talk with a friend, we revealed that Maki and Nekomaru took out Nagito, Maki had a talk with the Imposter, and the motive was revealed. That's enough for one week of work. Or, one-and-a-half weeks, I guess. Almost two, actually. You know, these statements won't really age well when people read this like, a week from now and don't experience any the wait between the chapters.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see how this motive plays out, and if anyone will be tempted to play it.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Greetings, and Happy Holidays. Though I suppose with how late in the evening I'm posting this, most of the world has already moved on from the holidays. And most people who read this in the future aren't going to be reading it on Christmas day. Either way, perhaps I should change that "Happy" to "Trigger Happy." (Wait, I made that joke last year, didn't I? Oh god oh fu-)**

**I'm sorry this took so long, but y'know, the holidays get in the way of schedules and such. Still, I got this one out just in time for Christmas, and if memory serves I posted a chapter last Christmas, too. Maybe I'll make this a tradition.**

**This chapter doesn't really progress the story at all, but it is important for two different relationships, those being Maki and Peko, and Albert and Byakuya. If either of those pairs developing in any way sounds interesting to you, read further. If not, I guess you can ignore this chapter. It'd hurt my feelings, though.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Duelling Ideologies**

The following morning, Peko found herself standing by the pool, thinking about recent events. Given all that was happening, with the divides in the group, and the new motive, she knew it was going to only get harder to fulfill her duties. She glanced over her shoulder at the bamboo sword she carried. Perhaps the tropical environment had made her too lax. Her skill was rusty. And a rusty blade was worthless.

She turned to make her way out of the hotel grounds, to find a tree or something similar to practice against. Of course, it would be best if she could practice against a human opponent, but few on the island seemed to have skill with any weapon, much less a blade. She would have to work with what she had.

However, before she reached the gate, she heard footsteps approaching from behind, and turned to see Maki making her way toward her.

"Hey, Peko. Looks like I almost missed you." She said.

"Hello, Maki. I see you didn't get the drop on me like last time we spoke." Peko remarked.

"What, at the library? Huh, now that I think of it, that is the last time we had a real talk. Feels so long ago, now."

"...What are you getting at?"

"Well, I've managed to get a grasp on everyone else here during the last few days, but I haven't had many chances to talk with you. I can appreciate the "mysterious" vibe you give off, but I just can't help myself, I just have a compulsive need to get an idea on how everyone around me thinks. So, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind indulging me. You were leaving, right? Maybe we could take a walk together or something."

Due to her upbringing, Peko had a hard time saying _no _when someone told her to do something, so she found herself instead saying, "If you wish to join me, I won't stop you. However, I'm afraid I won't be able to do much talking. I'm planning to hone my blade for a while, you see."

"Oh, that's fine. There's only so much you can learn from someone by talking with them, you know. Maybe there's another way I could get to know you..."

"What did you have in mind?"

She eyed the other girl for a moment, before a smirk made its way across her face. "Do you have a spare sword I could use?"

* * *

"Are you ready?" Peko asked, preparing her kendo stance.

"I think so!" Maki called from the other end of the beach. Her lab coat was discarded off to the side, though didn't seem particularly restricted by her dress shirt and pants. She held her shinai in front of her in a very calm way, not one of the standard kendo stances.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear the kendogu?" Peko asked. She was surprised that a newcomer would choose to go without the protection.

"It's too hot for something like that." She groaned. "Besides, I think I'm more cut out for a fighting style relying on speed. No point in slowing me down."

"Very well. Let us begin." With that, she threw off the kendo stance and sprinted toward the Criminologist. She angled her sword for a strike at Maki's chest, but just before she made contact, her opponent's sword met her in a parry.

Peko was holding back, only going at a fraction of her usual speed, for the sake of her opponent. But even so, Maki held up a lot easier than she expected. Peko sent a series of swift strikes, aiming at various angles toward Maki's head and torso, but the other girl blocked every one of them, only moments behind Peko in terms of reaction speed. _She's playing on the defensive,_ Peko thought, _but this is certainly not her first duel._

At one point, Maki managed to parry Peko hard enough to temporarily throw her off balance. She took the opportunity to switch to offensive tactics, and swung for Peko's head. Fortunately, it was similar enough to some moves that Peko had seen before, and she dodged it in time. And with Maki's defences down, Peko was able to get in a clean hit.

"Ah!" Maki fell to the ground, clutching her side and breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" Peko asked. "I tried to hold back."

She held up a hand. "I'm good. Just winded. It's been a couple of years since I did... well, any sports, really. Good thing you did hold back, too, or I'd have a few shattered ribs."

"You held yourself well. Surprisingly well. In fact, you lasted more than a minute against me. Not many others have done that."

Maki took a deep breath. "...Yeah, maybe. But you were just toying with me, weren't you?"

"It was that easy to tell?"

"Remember by talent? Analyzing data and people is my specialty. And," She slowly stood and met Peko's eyes. "I think I'm starting to understand you a bit more."

"From analyzing my fighting style?"

"Yeah. For starters, your sword strikes are quick and precise, like brush strokes. You're an artist of battle, one could say. But despite this, you swing your blade with a passion. Swordfighting isn't just something you're talented in, I would almost say it's your whole world. But there's more to it than that. You don't just do swordfighting for the sake of discipline or the glory of victory. You swing your blade with conviction. You have something to protect, something that's more important to you than your sword. Am I right?"

Peko stared at the girl for a few seconds, unsure what to say. "...You were able to tell all of that just from our single fight?"

Maki didn't respond with words, but rather smug chuckling. "Well, that's enough of me showing off, I think. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"Well... to tell you the truth, I have been wondering one thing." She admitted. "Is there a specific reason you seem to have a grudge against the yakuza?"

Maki scoffed. "I mean, doesn't everyone hate the yakuza?"

"That may be true, but... From the way you speak, it seemed to me that you have a more personal reason for disliking them."

"Well yeah, my career is in law enforcement. Of course I'd hate criminals, and crime organizations are even worse. By having people be part of a crime organization, it makes them more willing to do things that they would otherwise be too scared to try, since now they have the connections and backing to get away with certain things. Others in my field are typically against busting these organizations, though, because it creates a power vacuum that just makes everything worse. But I'm an Ultimate, so I'm not afraid of such things. As the Ultimate Criminologist, I plan to reduce the crime rate of Japan to zero. If I have to stir the pot a little to make that happen, so be it. It'll save more lives in the long run."

"A 0% crime rate, huh...?" Peko considered the idea in her head, but knew well enough that it was impossible, even for an Ultimate. No matter how Utopian the nation became, there would always be those who attempt to cheat or steal to gain power. She also knew now that Maki's goal and her own background were incompatible. Maki would only serve to get in the way of her duties. Subconsciously, she tightened her grip on her sword.

It may have been a coincidence, but Maki seemed to shift the way she held her own sword to a more defensive position. Despite this, her expression was curious. "Is there a problem with what I said?"

"Ah, no, it's just... You're quite skilled at saying very little in so many words."

Maki's expression shifted to one that was almost offended, before she loosened her posture and laughed, giving Peko a light punch on the shoulder. "I suppose in that way, we're quite a pair, huh? You know how to get your meaning across in as few words as possible."

"Thank you. It's just another skill you pick up when they teach you discipline." She held up her blade. "Speaking of, are you ready to continue?"

"Round two, huh? Sure, just give me a second..." She took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

"And... if you don't mind, could I ask you another question?"

"Fire away."

She pointed just above the girl. "Why is it you wear that hairband?"

"What, this?" Maki raised a hand and started stroking the cat ears. "I just have a thing for felines, I guess. Not enough to get myself fake whiskers or anything that crazy, but we dad a lot of them around the house growing up. Plus, I think it adds to my charm, don't you?"

Ignoring that last comment, Peko nodded. "I see... I always wanted a pet growing up, but it would never work with my living arrangements."

"Landlord didn't like animals?"

"Something like that. On top of it all, animals seem to fear me. My presence is enough to scare them away."

"I've known some people like that. Though, Gundham's hamsters don't seem scared of you. Maybe you could ask him for advice." Maki suggested. "...Anyway, like I was saying, I hardly go anywhere without this thing, even if it's not exactly "formal." And it's not one of those cheap toys you buy a little girl for a costume party, I got this custom made. It almost feels like real cat fur. Just my own-"

"Real fur, huh...?" Peko thought for a moment. "If you don't mind... could I feel for myself?"

Maki hesitated, seemingly caught off-guard. "I'm usually not one for touchy-feely stuff. Tell you what, we'll keep duelling like you want to, and if you win every single time, I'll let you pet my ears. But if I win even once, the deal's off the table."

"Sounds fair to me." Peko agreed.

In the end, Peko was allowed to pet Maki's ears to her heart's delight.

* * *

The archive was very quiet. Usually, there was supposed to be someone sorting through and managing everything, but either they were resting, or they weren't on the island with us, because I was completely and utterly alone, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of books. My old self would probably piss himself, being alone in a place like this, but now my head was a host of even more nightmarish figments. A quiet library was nothing special.

I had a history book cracked open on the table before me. Well, the term "history book" makes it sound old, but this book couldn't be older than a year. "The Tragedy: What was "The Incident" all about?" by Yoichi Muraoka is a compilation of the events leading up to the Tragedy that are known to the public (which aren't a lot), and what measures could be taken to prevent further issues in the future (which are a lot). Next to that book, I had some documents the Future Foundation has around that goes into a little more detail about the pre-Tragedy events. What I was mainly looking for was an indication, any indication, that I had changed anything. Well, anything beyond saving Chiaki's life and... generally existing. Anything that could have lead to Junko changing her tactics, or explaining why someone named Maki Yugami would suddenly invade our program. No dice.

I heard the creaky door open and shut, and footsteps making their way toward me. Looking up briefly from my work, I saw Byakuya arrive.

"At least you take your work as seriously as your ideology." He said.

"Hello to you too, Byakuya." I said rather quietly.

"I take it you haven't found anything useful." He guessed, taking a seat across from me. He placed what was in his hands on the table: a stack of documents, and a steaming mug.

"Civet coffee?" I guessed from the scent and his own preference.

He gave me a look that was a mix between impressed and annoyed. "Correct. I'm surprised I was able to find it. Apparently, the Future Foundation is in possession of most of the last of it. At least, until the world is in good enough shape for civet farms to be rebuilt."

"From what I hear, those farms are actually pretty shitty to the civets." I informed him.

He gestured to the cup. "The brand that I drink is known for collecting from wild civets. It makes it more expensive, but it tastes much better that way."

"Well, it's nice to know you don't enjoy the taste of animal's suffering. Though, uh, you do know that that shit's made from... well, shit, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's not made from the fecal matter itself, obviously. They wash the coffee cherries before using them, so it just leaves behind the taste. It's like how you commoners cook chicken with beer in it or something. The beer boils away, making it non-alcoholic, but the taste remains."

"Yeah, I-I know all that. I just meant..." I paused and shook my head. "Whatever. Enjoy your shit-flavoured coffee."

He sighed and took a sip. "I don't understand why you feel the need to antagonize me."

"Same to you, dude. I'm not gonna try to be delicate when talking to the guy who plays with corpses for fun."

"That wasn't-"

"-for fun, I know. Jeez, you gotta stop taking everything I say so seriously."

"In case you hadn't noticed, we don't have time for games or stupid jokes. Every moment we spend sitting on our thumbs, the Despairs are planning their next move. And currently, our entire class bar Hina is stuck here dealing with this case. We have all these things on our backlog that need to get done, and it's only wasting our time."

"Stop that!" I snapped. "Seriously, Byakuya, you need to just... stop talking to everyone like your the only one who understands the stakes. You think a global scale is too big for my commoner brain to imagine? Toshihide sure fuckin' fixed that when he left."

"I was just-"

"In fact," I got to my feet. "you don't got your goddamn family backing you anymore. The only things special about you anymore are your past, which isn't helping much at the moment, and your blood, which is gonna look exactly the same as everyone else's when it spills."

"Is this-"

"And I don't think you quite understand who _I_ am, so let me remind you. I'm the one who's actions and inactions allowed the Tragedy to happen in the first place, and that didn't stop me. I'm the one who was willing to let Monokuma kill me if it meant the future would be corrected, and that didn't stop me. I'm the one who waded through a war-torn Towa City like it was a fucking retail job, and that didn't stop me. I'm the one who got kidnapped from my only home, dropped into the goddamn apocalypse on this one, and forced to save as many people as I could, and that sure as shit didn't stop me. My "commoner" ass has dealt with more bullshit in the past six months than any noble before our time, but I haven't given up yet, and I won't let someone like _you _get in the way of that. So get it through your head, you pompous windbag. You're not the leader of this here project. _I am._ And my "ideals" that you like to rag on are the only shield left keeping me from becoming a full-on Ultimate Despair, so you best watch your tone when you address me. Peasant."

When silence took over the archive, it lasted for a while. Eventually, Byakuya raised one of his furrowed eyebrows and asked, "Are you done?"

"Yeah, I guess... I mean..." I shook my head and took my seat. "Fuck, man... What more is there to say?"

"I don't know, you seemed pretty enthusiastic there. I'm sure you could come up with more." He scoffed. "And after Kyoko convinced me to come here and try to apologize to you. Perhaps I should just take my leave."

"Look... I'm sorry, okay? I-I never wanted to hate you. When I first saw you, when I first played Danganronpa, I loved your design, and while your personality was shitty, I thought you'd have a turnaround at some point. I took every chance I could to hang out with you, just hoping in vein that there was something I was missing. But there wasn't. We just have two different world views, and that's all there is to it. Sometimes I wonder if you even want to change..."

"Of course not. Right now, I'm working on changing the world, for the better. It would be a waste of time to shift my worldview when I could be shifting the view of others."

"Sometimes, if you want others to accept your ideas, you have to be able to change tactics and see things from their point of view." I explained. "Besides, it's not like you've never had any character development. I know there's something there, you started changing your tune after Sakura's trial."

He was quiet for a moment. "...I could say the same for you. I feel like that trial was the point where you finally started growing up. For one thing, you were able to start calling our dead classmates by their names, instead of just "victim"."

"You noticed that, huh? That's..." I shrugged. "I couldn't bear to think of them as real people. I used words like "victim" because it made them a statistic, it made it easier to bear the guilt. But then at Sakura's trial, I decided I was ready to trust you guys with my burden, so I didn't need to shield myself from the guilt anymore."

"By sharing the burden with friends, the weight is spread out and easier to carry." Byakuya paraphrased. "You said something to that effect when I left Towa, if I recall."

I nodded. "I know you spent most of your life seeing humans as tools or obstacles, but there's more to us than that, you have to believe me. I... used to think similarly to you."

He almost spat out his coffee. "You? Thought like me?"

"I know, it's hard to believe. It's even harder for me to admit. But it's true. I was never the most personable guy around. I didn't have many friends, back in my home world. I dealt with bullying for a long time. And on the internet, all I would see are articles and posts about how horrible people can be. Theft, drugs, embezzlement, animal abuse, sexual assault, rape, murder, terrorism, war..." I grimaced and shook my head. "After a while, it really drills into you. I became a pessimist, a cynic, and saw humanity through a blackened lens. Humans were animals, that's what I told myself. Animals who did whatever they could get away with to fulfill their selfish desires."

"If you're about to tell me that that view was wrong, you're more naive than I thought." He warned.

"No. As much as I hate to admit it, there are plenty of horrible people out there, even without the Ultimate Despairs running around. But there is one part of that worldview that I eventually had to correct."

"And that was?"

"Not every human is like that. A select few people are completely selfless, almost entirely void of sin, kind. After I had this realization, I started to look for the good in everyone. And I realized that even the worst monster has something to give, has the chance to be redeemed. I decided that human life was worth protecting, no matter what. And that's where my ideals come from."

Byakuya stayed silent for a while, sipping his coffee a few times. From his expression, I could tell my story at least reached him. As he analyzed it in his mind, all I could do was prepare myself for his reaction. Eventually, he just asked, "When you say "everyone deserves to be redeemed," do you include Junko in that clause as well?"

"Of course." I said without hesitation. "She had people she loved, she had dreams and aspirations. With a proper psychologist, she could have been rehabilitated." _A better psychologist than me._ We both thought it, but neither said it.

"And, hypothetically, if Junko did have the chance to be tried and rehabilitated, would you hold yourself accountable if she escaped and committed even more atrocities?"

"Yes."

We were both quiet for a long time after that. I took the moment to read a few passages from the documents.

Once more, Byakuya broke the silence. "I'll admit... I may have been wrong in my earlier assessment of you. I know from firsthand experience that your words aren't empty. You are emotional, sometimes to an annoying degree, but... you've never avoided the responsibility of your actions. Not many commoners are like that. Hell, many nobles like to pass blame on those below them."

"...What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"I... suppose I can let it go, this time."

"Huh?"

"I'll let you keep command of this project. I won't get in your way. If you demand that Maki Yugami is dealt with non-lethally, then I'll follow your lead. But I hope you're ready for the consequences if this bites us in the rear later."

I gave him a smile. An actual, genuine, non-smirking smile. "Byakuya, that's great, but... I don't want this to be a dictatorship."

"Hm?"

"That's why I'm always pushing you back. Because you're always trying to take control of everything. I don't know how it is for nobles, but on the level of society I grew up in, a good leader knows to listen to those he leads. That's the kinda leader I want to be. Your opinion is important, as is mine, but I want this to be everyone's decision. That way, we all share the responsibility."

Byakuya considered this, and a smile played upon his face. It was less genuine than mine, but for Byakuya, it was better than nothing. "So that's it. In the same way you hate to bear the burden of guilt on your own, you were trying to "help" me by making it so I didn't have to bear the burden of leadership." He _tsked _at me a few times, his smile becoming a smirk. "Ridiculous. You didn't think I, Byakuya Togami, would be able to handle such a burden? I've been trained my whole life for something like that."

"Whether or not you can isn't the question." I told him. "The important part is that you don't have to. That's what it means to be part of a team. And whether you like it or not, you're a part of class 78... just like me."

He nodded. "Alright then. If that's your decision, then I'll tell Kyoko to arrange a conference tomorrow. This time, we'll hold a vote regarding the fate of Maki Yugami. But are you prepared to deal with the cons of a democracy?"

"What do you mean?"

"In a democracy, only the majority is ever heard. This makes it so that the largest number of people possible are happy, but if you're not part of the majority, there's nothing you can do except try to sway others to your side. So, hypothetically speaking, if the majority of our friends decide to kill Maki, will you accept that?"

"I can't accept her death, if that's what you mean." I admitted. "If it turns out we kill an innocent girl, I'd be furious. But I'll accept everyone's decision. And I'll accept my part of the responsibility."

"Hmm... I suppose that's all we can do for now, isn't it?"

"You got that right. After the vote, our next course of action will be decided. For now, all we can do is watch where the pieces fall."

We read in silence for another little while. At the time just before it would've become awkward, Byakuya spoke up. "One last question, Al. Earlier, you spoke of how you hated humanity in the past, but a realization caused you to change your worldview. What caused this realization to occur?"

I smiled. "I guess you could say a friend of mine helped me see the light."

I'm not sure why I didn't tell him that it was Makoto's speech at the end of Danganronpa that changed my worldview, but I let it go unsaid. That was in the past, after all. We had to focus on our future for now.

* * *

**Once again, Maki proves herself to be proficient in another skill. If you are starting to get to the point where you're thinking maybe she's _too_ perfect, trust me, I'm going somewhere with this shit. Like I said at the beginning, no matter what your opinion of her is, it's likely intentional. Unless you want her to be your waifu, in that case, oops.**

**I usually try to keep Albert level-headed outwardly, even during stressful moments. It's just sort of how he is, he always tries to think things through logically, even when his emotions are boiling inside. This way, when he has an OOC moment and snaps at someone, it can be shocking. In the first story, he ranted about how crazy his classmates are, and straight-up cried in front of Chihiro after his escape plan failed. In AE:AH, he snaps at Komaru and breaks her down after she assumes he doesn't know what it's like to struggle. And during all of these stories, his relationship with Byakuya was always strained due to their differing worldviews. This chapter is basically the culmination of their duelling ideologies. (Hey, that sounds like a cool chapter title!)**

**In the next chapter, we'll get on with the story, but there might be deadly consequences for that...**


	14. Chapter 13

**I wanted this chapter to be up on New Years, but... actually, y'know what, fuck it. I'm not coming up with an excuse. The last two chapters had me going "Oh, sorry, holidays and work and such," but enough of that. I already said my schedule was gonna suffer, so at this point the only one who's holding me to a weekly thing is myself. So I'm the one who messed up.**

**With that out of the way, you definitely don't want to miss this chapter! I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Sea and Punishment**

"Good morning, Hajime." Sonia greeted as the boy entered the dining hall.

"Yeah, good morning..." He said as he took his seat and began putting some food on his plate. He was trying to think of a way to lead the conversation into the motive.

"What is it, Hajime...?" Akane asked, slight concern peeking from her cheerful face. "Is that all you're gonna eat?"

"You just eat too much, Akane." Hiyoko explained.

"You're one to talk. All you eat is candy."

"Just because it's candy doesn't mean you should make fun of it. These gummies have four different fruit flavours, so I'm sure they're full of nutrients."

"You should just eat real fruit."

Gundham rolled his eyes at his classmates antics, before asking, "...Is Mahiru missing?"

"...Hm?" Hajime looked around and, sure enough, Mahiru was absent.

"She's always here every morning, it's strange for her not to come..." Nekomaru remarked.

"I wonder if she is not feeling well." Sonia said.

"If that's all it is, we have nothing to worry about..." Byakuya decided. "But... there's still a small chance that she..."

"A s-small chance that she's what!?" Hiyoko asked.

"Hm? I saw Mahiru, she was outside the hotel." Akane said.

"Well, guess that answers that." Maki said.

"Jeez, don't say such a spooky thing." Hiyoko scolded. "As punishment, how about you run around in a circle three times, say "woof," and jump off a cliff?"

"I'm not going to do that." Byakuya told her.

"But what was Mahiru doing outside the hotel?" Ibuki asked.

"She said she wanted to be alone." Akane explained. "I even asked her to come eat with us, but she turned it down."

"...Wanted to be alone?" Peko repeated.

"M-Maybe... she's planning to play that game..." Mikan suggested.

"What are you saying, pig barf!?" Hiyoko snapped. "There's no way Mahiru would play video games! She's not like that slowpoke gamer girl over there!"

She gestured across the table at Chiaki, who was silent for a few seconds. Eventually, she asked. "Ah, were you referring to me?"

Mikan was barely holding in tears as she squeaked, "Eeeekk... I am pig barf, aren't I...?"

"No, Hiyoko's just being a nasty little brat again." Maki assured her. Before Hiyoko could respond, Maki sat up straighter. "I get that you have a thing for Mahiru or whatever, but you really do need a filter for that mouth of yours. Going around and insulting people all the time is a sign of a lack of intelligence."

"Yeah, whatever, nerd. At least I don't need to suck up to people to get them to like me."

"But... you do. That's why nobody likes you."

Rather than honour her with a response, crocodile tears began pouring down Hiyoko's cheeks. "Waaaaah! Maki's bullying me!"

"Yeah, that's my cue to leave." With that, she pushed her plate away and quickly made for the exit before anyone could stop her.

Hajime sighed. It seemed it would be impossible for him to bring up the topic of the game just yet.

* * *

I was the last person to enter the conference room, just like the last time. Everyone was already in the same spots, with Makoto, Celeste, and Chihiro sitting, and Byakuya and Kyoko standing. Rather than take my seat, I stood at the front. I would be taking more of a leadership role in the proceedings this time around, after all.

"Looks like everyone's here." Kyoko noted. She turned to Byakuya. "Are we ready to begin today's meeting, then?"

He nodded. "Why don't you fill them in, Al?"

I smirked. Was this the new "Tell 'em, Naegi?" Either way, I said, "This meeting is more of a continuation from the last one. If you'll recall, that one was cut short due to Byakuya and I getting overly aggressive with each other. But we both took a step back, communicated our points of view with each other, and came to this decision. We'll be holding a vote today."

"A vote? Regarding what?" Makoto asked. Leave it to him to ask about the obvious.

"The fate of Maki Yugami. Byakuya argued in favour of pulling her plug as early as possible, in order to most assuredly prevent any future disaster she may be planning."

"Albert, meanwhile, has decided to watch her until we're certain she's dangerous, despite the overwhelming evidence that Maki Yugami is simply an extension of the Junko Virus." Byakuya finished.

"Right. We already stated our arguments, so all that's left is for you four to break the tie. Of course, since Hina's not here, our group has an even number of people, so it is possible for us to get another tie, but in that case, we could always consult someone like Chiaki for a second opinion. And... yeah, that's basically how this whole thing's gonna work. All you guys gotta worry about is stating your opinion on the matter. Pull the plug, or leave her be?"

"So, how should we do this? Alphabetically?" Kyoko asked.

Byakuya nodded. "Since the first two people to state their opinions were Al and I, whose names start with A and B respectively, that sounds the most reasonable."

"Well then in that case, Celeste, you now have the floor."

"Legally speaking, she would go last, since her name starts with a T and all..." I noted.

Celeste ignored my remark. After only a moment of thinking, she stated, "I see little reason to worry about this girl's well-being. Assuming she's even human, which I firmly believe to be false, she must have purposely invaded our program with the intent of interfering with our project. We hold no obligation to spare her life, as she's either an extension of the Junko Virus, or another enemy entirely. I vote that she gets the death penalty."

The coldness in her voice when she said that sent a chill down my spine, but I kept my posture. "1 for mercy, 2 for death. Chihiro, you're up next."

"I'm next..." He repeated quietly, thinking to himself.

"Just pick whatever you think is right." I assured him.

He spent a minute or so thinking, occasionally meeting my gaze. Finally, he decided, "I think... I have a different point of view from the rest of you, since I'm one of the programmers assigned to the project. So, whatever the result of this vote is, I'm gonna have to be the one to put it into action. If we vote to have her killed, then I'll..."

"So you won't do it?" Byakuya asked.

He shook his head. "Even if I was somehow taken off the project... there's still no way I can vote to kill someone. And while Celeste's theory that she's just an AI does make sense... I still couldn't delete someone like Alter Ego, either. I vote that she lives."

"That's 2 for 2." I said, smirking at Byakuya.

He shrugged. "Kyoko?"

"I've already thought about this a great deal, and I've already made up my mind." She said. Classic Kyoko. "It's the job of a detective to consider every possibility before making her choice. With that in mind, no matter how likely it is that she's an AI, I can't make a decision based solely on that until I have evidence that proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt. We can always delete her later, but if we kill her now and it turns out we were wrong... Well, there'd be no going back at that point. So for now, I vote that she lives."

Celeste seemed somewhat miffed that nobody else liked her theory. Makoto spoke up next. "I guess I don't really have to state my opinion, huh? But I agree with Al, Chihiro, and Kyoko. We can always act later, but if we screw this up now, it could be bad. It's better to be sure about this kinda thing. Plus, even if she is an enemy, that doesn't mean we have to jump to the death penalty immediately. I vote she lives."

"That's that, then." Byakuya decided. "I'll let it go for now. Our next course of action seems obvious to me, at this point."

"Right." I agreed. "Celeste, Chiaki, and Miaya will continue watching the program. Chihiro and Taichi will keep playing defensively. And the rest of us will continue our investigation until something new rears its head."

"On that topic, I found out something interesting." Kyoko stated. "While our facility here is able to connect to the internet and receive emails from the rest of the Future Foundation, our network only covers this archipelago. Therefore, if Maki is some sort of foreign invader, she must be somewhere on this island in order to connect to the Neo World Program. Do I have that right, Chihiro?"

He nodded. "Pretty much. That's the thing with being so far out in the middle of nowhere. If Maki were a person connecting to our program, unless she was in the same room as the Remnants, she would be lagging horribly."

"Well, given that this morning, she was able to duel the Ultimate Swordswoman for minutes at a time, multiple times, I'd say she has no problem with lag." Celeste agreed. "One could say her reaction speed is almost as good as a machine..."

"Give it a rest, Celeste." I said. "We all heard your opinion, and we voted the way we did anyway. If you don't like it, do something about it yourself. Though something tells me you'll have a hard time convincing Chihiro or Taichi to kill someone who could be innocent."

She looked like she wanted to say something, but shrugged. "Fine. I know when I've lost. But just so you know, if this comes back to bite us later, I'll make sure the last thing I do before I die is take you with me." With that, she gathered all of her grace and elegance, and strutted out of the room.

"What a bitch..." I muttered to no one in particular.

"Hey, let's not throw around insults like that." Makoto defended.

"I'm not hearing anyone hurrying to correct me."

Chihiro, with a suppressed smile, checked his watch and sighed. "I should probably switch with my dad now. He's had a long shift. I'll see you guys later, okay?" We said our goodbyes, and he left the room as well.

I scratched my head. "What's the opposite of a bitch? I wanna mirror what I said when my least favourite left the room with when my best friend left."

Kyoko smiled. "Well, "bitch" is just outdated slang for a female dog. So I suppose the opposite would be "tomcat," which is a male cat."

"Nah, sounds too weird. I think I'll just play it safe and call him my dawg. Now, after having properly annoyed you all, I'll be taking my leave."

Makoto stopped me. "Actually, Al, there's one more thing I'd like to run by you. And Kyoko and Byakuya, too."

"Oh? I'm all ears."

He stood up, revealing something I didn't notice before. On his lap was a closed laptop, the same shade of black as his suit. He placed it on the table, and opened up his email folder.

_To Future Foundation 14th Division - Makoto Naegi_

_Where are you guys? What are you doing right now? What you're doing is a serious act of treason. Do you understand? Why are you protecting the Remnants of Despair? It should be abundantly clear to you how dangerous it is to keep these people alive. Stay calm and think about this carefully. You guys are being lied to. Think carefully about what's important to bring the light of hope to the world. The seven of you joined the Future Foundation because you agreed with our ideals, right? The Future Foundation rescued you from the tragedy you survived and cooperated with recovering your memories. Immediately return the Remnants of Despair to our headquarters. Unless we eliminate them, The Tragedy will never end... Everything... is for the sake of a future filled with hope..._

_Future Foundation 2nd Division_

_Kyosuke Munakata_

"Damn, even he's getting on my case now..." I muttered. "As much as I just wanna type, "Suck my dick. Love, Albert Wright," I doubt that'd help our situation much at all."

"I would be surprised if he isn't already sending some people to hunt us down and take the Despairs..." Byakuya said.

"Or take them out." Kyoko added.

"So, what do I do?" Makoto asked. "We can't just let them kill these guys."

"Kyoko is our branch head." I said. "She should be able to talk some sense into them. I could also get Miaya to vouch for us. If things get desperate, Byakuya and Celeste are charismatic enough to come up with some excuses."

"I'll do what I can." Kyoko assured us. "However, keep in mind that the Foundation could find us any time now. We're racing against an hourglass where we can't see the top half."

We all expressed sounds of frustration. Byakuya turned to me. "Al, do you remember how many days this killing game took in Danganronpa 2?"

I did some quick mental math."...We've still got... over a week. A week and a half, at the very least. I mean, there are six trials, just like in our killing game. Five murders, and the sixth one being where they solve the mysteries surrounding the program. We've only had one case so far..."

"Assuming there's a minimum of three days between each trial, with the exception being the sixth, then that's... thirteen days." Kyoko calculated.

"That's... a lot more time than I thought we needed." Makoto admitted. I thought I heard some distant shouting, but the others didn't react, so I ignored it.

"So Munakata's goons have almost two weeks to find us before..." I paused. I could hear the commotion in the hallway getting closer. No more shouting, but someone was moving in a rush. I moved for the door, but it slammed open before I could reach it.

Standing in the doorway was Chiaki, breathing heavily, tears building in her eyes. Before I could ask what was wrong, she managed to choke out her answer.

"It... It happened again..."

* * *

Mikan felt very awkward. The two girls that had accompanied her to the diner were perhaps the two girls who were most different from her. Ibuki, who was full of energy and always outgoing, never stopping to worry about what others thought about her, and Maki, who wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and was always ready to help take command when the group was confused. Next to the two of them, Mikan felt like a bug...

"C'mon, Maki Roll, eat up! The burgers in this place are amazing!" Ibuki prodded. "Or are you trying to watch your figure? Because I totally get that, even if Ibuki's never had to diet before."

Maki shook her head as she took a sip from her soda. "I was under the assumption that we were going to the beach after this. I don't want to get stomach cramps and drown."

Mikan raised a hand slightly. "Um... Th-That's actually a myth. It's perfectly fine to swim after eating."

Rather than ignore her, or shut her down, Maki's eyes widened. "Wait, really? Well, in that case..." She reached across the table and snatched up a handful of Ibuki's fries.

"Hey!" Ibuki watched as half of her food was slowly taken away. An question must have come to her mind, and with her lack of filter, she immediately articulated it. "Say, Maki, what _is_ your secret to getting a figure like that?"

Maki paused and shrugged with a playful smirk. "Sorry. My only secret is that I'm naturally perfect at everything."

"C'mon, don't hold out on me! Ibuki would kill for a body like yours!" She started thinking for a few seconds. "Hey, Monokuma should make that a motive... Like, a body-swap motive! Then Ibuki would be able to touch as much as she wanted! Oh, speaking of, can I touch you?"

"I'm charmed, but I'm afraid these girls are a little too important to me. No one other than me is allowed to touch them."

"Aw, but not being allowed to just makes me wanna do it more!" Ibuki argued.

"Yeah, well, you're fun personality might let me give you a few passes, but that's one line you won't cross. At least, not without losing something of your own." Maki's eyes drifted toward the window. "...Hm?"

"What is it? What?" Ibuki asked.

"Is that... Hiyoko?" Maki observed. She was running across the parking lot, away from the tunnel that lead to the beach. She seemed distressed. "What's wrong with her?"

"If I had to describe it as a song title... it'd be "Sprint of Tears"!"

"Huh? It looks like she's running from the beach." Mikan said. "Did something happen?"

When Hiyoko ran past the diner, Maki asked, "Wasn't she part of our Girls' Day Out?"

"A-Apparently she can't swim so she turned us down..." Mikan explained.

"Then... what was she doing at the beach?"

"I-I'm sorry... I don't really know all the details about that..."

"Well, it just means that women are full of surprises." Ibuki decided. "Mahiru's the type to totally come, but she surprisingly turned us down too!"

"Mahiru, miss girl time? Now I've heard everything."

"But it can't be helped! Apparently she wasn't really feeling well!"

"Um... I'm terribly sorry to continue this topic but... why was Hiyoko... crying?" Mikan asked.

"Jeez, one thing happens, and suddenly there are so many questions. I hate not knowing what's going on..."

Before any of them could think too hard about it, the front door of the diner opened. Standing there was Chiaki, wearing nothing but a white ruffled bikini and her backpack, and with a small box in her hands.

"My my, how disappointing." She said when she saw the others. "I thought if I came early I'd be the first one to arrive."

Ibuki gasped. "Whoaaaa! Chiaki, you came wearing only your swimsuit!?"

"I didn't want to carry it with me. If I did, it'd be a serious burden."

"In that case... What's that you're carrying?" Maki asked.

"Instead of bringing lunch for everyone... I brought ice cream."

Mikan spoke up. "Um... It's not like I'm gonna turn it down but... Ice cream is completely different from lunch. I don't think it can be used as a substitute..."

"Also... I was thinking of stuff we could all do at the beach together... so I brought a board game, too!"

"Hmm, should we play it even though we came all this way to go to the beach?" Ibuki wondered. "...Nah!"

"...I see, that's disappointing..."

"In any case, have a seat." Maki offered. "We're still waiting on... 3 other girls. Unless there was another that turned you guys down?"

"Not that I know of..." Mikan said.

"Muah-haha! Wearing a bikini is suuuuuure daring!" Ibuki cheered. "And you get bonus points for wearing a white one! My heart's not just thumping, it's thumping all sporadically like "Badump, thump! Thump, badump"!"

"That's, um... not a good thing..." Mikan told her.

"H-Hey... I kept ya waitin'..." A new voice said as the diner door opened once again.

Akane stood at the entrance, wearing only a blue-and-white striped bikini. What caught the eye of the other girls, though, was that she was covered in blood.

"H-Hey... Sorry to... keep you guys waitin'..."

"Eeeeeek! Akane!? Wh-What happened to you!?"

"Wh-What...? Is somethin' wrong...? I made sure to... wear a swimsuit this time..."

"...Not that, your wounds!"

"I-It wouldn't be strange if we nicknamed you "Carrie" right now!" Ibuki shouted.

"O-Oh... You're talkin' about these..." She gestured to her wounds, and clutched the one on her head that was bleeding quite profusely. "Heh, on my way over here, I happened to run into... coach Nekomaru... And when that happens... I gotta fight him, y'know!?"

"A-Are you really all right?" Ibuki asked. "Your head... it looks like it's split in half."

"Well, it'll heal as long as I rub some spit in it, right...?"

"That's... a good way to get infected." Maki said.

"Hehe... I'm all fired up now... I never knew such a strong opponent even existed...!"

"A-Anyway, you need to be treated!" Mikan insisted. "And you also need your wounds sterilized... Akane, please come with me!" With an unusually forceful demeanour, Mikan pulled Akane into the bathroom.

Maki watched them disappear, then turned to look out the window. "Guess she's the Ultimate Nurse for a reason. Though, remind me never to invite Akane and Nekomaru to the same place."

Then, the door opened for the third time. "...What is all this ruckus?" Peko entered, wearing a black bikini and her sword bag. She was soaking wet from head to toe.

"Hey, Peko." Maki greeted. "You're, uh... dripping."

"...I just did a little swimming." She said, breathing somewhat heavily.

"Swimming..."

"I swam around the island for about three hours." She explained.

"That's too obvious for me not to comment on!" Ibuki interrupted. "That's definitely _not _"a little swimming"!"

"And why were you swimming, anyway?" Maki asked. "Did you forget? We're about to go to the beach in a few minutes."

"It wasn't for my enjoyment..." She clarified. "I was trying to see if I could swim to a different island. But I couldn't find any other islands. It seems it may be difficult to leave this island by swimming..."

"Didn't we already establish this on day 1?" Maki asked. "Besides, if you didn't see anything after 3 hours of swimming, then it's not difficult, it's impossible."

"Yeah, that may be true..." She took a seat alongside the rest of the girls. She stared at Maki for a moment. "...Will you be wearing your hairband at the beach?"

"Yes, Peko. I'm also going to wear my lab coat and all of my clothes above my swimsuit. It's something new I've been meaning to try."

"A simple "no" would have sufficed."

"Yeah, well, ask a stupid question... I am finding it a little hard to believe that Ibuki, Mikan, and I are the only ones with enough modesty to show up dressed."

"This body, though... man..." Ibuki marvelled. "Young ladies are sure well-endowed nowadays... Is that a challenge against all the women in the world? Fine! Ibuki accepts that challenge with the power of technology! Time to pump these puppies full of silicon!"

"...Don't say such asinine things." Peko scolded.

The door opened to welcome the final visitor of that afternoon. "Ah, I am terribly sorry for my delay." Sonia stood, wearing a wetsuit and a smile. "As I have never worn a wetsuit before, I had a hard time putting it on, which resulted in my delay... Really, it is my bad."

"It's no bother, Princess." Maki assured her. "If anyone's keeping us waiting, it's Akane. She got in a fight with Nekomaru on her way over, so Mikan's busy patching her up."

"Oh dear. I suppose that does sound like them, though." She thought for a moment. "Why don't the rest of you go on ahead? I will stay back, just to make sure they are alright."

"I guess they don't need all of us waiting for them." Chiaki agreed.

"Right. Let's go, then." Peko said.

"Yahoo! Beach party, here we come!" Ibuki dashed out the door, the other three following slowly behind her.

By the time the three passed the entrance to Chandler Beach, they heard a scream.

"Was that... Ibuki?" Peko asked.

Maki covered her ears. "What's she making a ruckus over this time? The other day she was screaming over-"

Suddenly, the bell rang, and the monitor on a nearby palm tree sparked to life. "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Before Chiaki or Peko could react, Maki took off like a bullet. She headed straight for the rear door of the beach house, the one nearest to her. She turned the nob and shoved with her shoulder, but the door wouldn't budge. "Damn!" Wasting no time, she abandoned that door and ran around for the front.

The door was ajar, and Ibuki was on the ground, still screaming her powerful lungs out. Maki joined her side, and as she faced the inside of the house, she was met with a horrifying sight.

Sitting against the far door, head split open like a coconut, surrounded by a pool of blood, was the corpse of yet another one of her classmates. The blood was still a fresh, bright crimson, and the smell was only that much more pungent due to the hot air of the beach. The body had a pained expression, making it clear that its final moments of life were in suffering. It looked so weak, so helpless, in such contrast to the forceful person Maki knew in life.

The body belonged to Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer.

* * *

**Let's be honest, Mahiru's probably the most underrated character in DR2. Most of the time, I've seen her very low on rankings, only slightly higher than Teruteru and Hiyoko. I can at least see where people are coming from with that, since her pushy personality and favouritism for Hiyoko can get pretty annoying. But overall, I still see her as a sweet girl who's used to having to be responsible, and is constantly in a struggle between trying to maintain order while still being a friendly schoolgirl. She's definitely not the deepest out there, but if you're willing to look for it, she's actually quite interesting.**

**So why did I decide to kill her off? We shall see.**

**In the next chapter, the students will investigate the circumstances of this murder.**


	15. Chapter 14

**So I know I said at the end of my last story that I would include all of the evidence discovery, even if it's the same as canon, but that lead to an 8k word investigation chapter earlier. So after that, I thought it over, and decided to only show what's changed from canon. Not that it really matters too much, since this case is very similar to it's canon counterpart, so I only have a bit to show. Inside the killing game, anyway. In any case, feel free to let me know which way you'd prefer to see it.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Secrets From The Past**

It wasn't very easy for everyone to mobilize after the announcement played. For one thing, it gave no indication as to where the crime scene was. As such, the only people on the scene for a while were the girls, now changed back into their everyday clothes.

"Wh-What the hell is this!?" Akane asked.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Wh-Why... Mahiru!?" Mikan shrieked.

"F-For heaven's sake, what in the world is going on...!?" Sonia asked.

"...Ah, hold on a sec!" Chiaki stopped them just before they reached the entrance of the beach house. "Those things beneath you... be careful not to step on them."

"...Beneath?" Peko's eyes drifted to the sand.

"You know, the footprints in front of that door. There are footprints leading out of the beach house, right? That's probably an important clue. So, don't step on them."

"I-If you mean evidence..." Sonia trailed off.

"...Monokuma mentioned it in the announcement, right? After a certain amount of time, we'll hold a class trial..."

"Another class trial!?" Ibuki shouted.

"Then... are you saying this is...?"

"Thaaaaaat's right! One of you guys killed her!" Monokuma cheered, appearing out of nowhere.

"K-Killed... that's impossible!" Mikan argued.

"Oh? Are you gonna say it could be an accident? But if you guys think that's an accident, that still means this death was caused by someone else's actions, right? That also counts as... a legitimate murder. Though such details fall into a grey area, on this island, I will make sure it's clear to you guys... On this island... dying from sickness is basically the only death that's not considered a murder. Well, it's impossible to get sick and die on this island. Not when Monomi takes such good care of people... Oh, speaking of which."

Almost as if on cue, Monomi appeared a few feet from Mahiru's body, and looked absolutely miserable. She didn't say anything in response to Monokuma's jabs.

"There it is! The silent treatment attack! This is like the number one thing that hurts me! Well fine! I'm not gonna lose to your bashing! I've decided to become a tough kid!"

"Th-This... is the worst... Once again... this horrible nightmare... Another victim... and it's all because of Monokuma..."

"Jeez! It's not my fault!" Monokuma argued. "...Huh? Then whose fault is it, you ask? To find out, we hold the class trial! Sooooo let's begin already. No whining, just begin already. Okaaaaaay, I shall pass out the Monokuma File #2. This should start to feel familiar. Now then, do your very best to investigate! I'll see you later at the class trial!" With that, he disappeared.

"C-Class trial... Investigation... This... is horrible... It's just... too horrible..." Monomi cried.

Maki gave her a pitiful look. "Couldn't you have stopped this? Don't you have that kind of power?"

Once again, she gave Maki a scared, distrusting look. "Th-That... I did have the power before he appeared..."

"Even if she tried to stop it... Judging from Monokuma and Monomi's relationship, there's no doubt she'd get stopped herself." Chiaki pointed out.

"Yes... Monokuma took everything away... including the Magic Stick... and the surveillance cameras... The only thing I can rely on... are these ears... but they can only hear about 3 times that of a normal person..."

"So basically, you have no idea what's happening on this island in the first place..." Peko asked.

Monomi sobbed. "...I'm just the worst... A powerless rabbit like me... is the worst..."

"In that case, hurry up and get out of my way..." Maki demanded as Monomi disappeared from the area.

"Hey, now's not the time to focus on somethin' like that..." Akane said. "More importantly, what should we do?"

"Eeeek...! D-Do we... have to do it again?" Mikan asked. "Th-That cruel thing... We have to do it again?"

"I cannot believe it..." Peko said. "Mahiru was killed by one of us...!"

"I know it sucks." Maki said. "But we have to do this. If we fail... Mahiru would've died for nothing. And her killer will get away with it."

"Yeah, the only thing we can do is investigate." Chiaki agreed. "Cuz... we should never forgive that. Killing... is something we should never forgive. The killer has their reasons... I understand that. It was the same for Teruteru, too. It's really all Monokuma's fault... I understand that, too. But... even so... We should never forgive... killing."

"Regardless, everyone is going to die if we don't do it. In order for us all to survive, we must do it." Peko decided.

"Then let's do this!" Akane agreed.

"Mahiru... probably wants us to do this, too." Sonia said. "She would want us to reveal the truth behind her death..."

"I-I understand..." Mikan said. "If everyone's doing it, I will do it too but... B-But... please give me a little time... Please give me time to calm myself down a little. Also... I will go and tell the others who aren't here about this... I-I shall... excuse myself... for now." Tears streaming down her cheeks, Mikan stepped outside the beach house.

"Then... let's begin." Chiaki decided. "Who killed Mahiru Koizumi...? Why was she killed...? We gotta find out and solve this already."

Maki nodded. "Right. Let us begin. Chiaki, you're with me."

* * *

Hajime arrived shortly after they began, and with Maki's aid once again, along with the aid of the other girls, he was able to make rapid progress in investigating the crime scene. However, it quickly became clear to him that he wouldn't be able to understand the motivation of the murder without understanding more about Twilight Syndrome. He asked Chiaki about it, but she instead encouraged him to check out the motive for himself. Maki assured him that she had the crime scene under control, and that he was free to go as he pleased. He noted that it was odd for her to not want to check something like that out for herself.

Regardless, Hajime and Chiaki made their way to the park on the central island. Once there, however, they ran into a face that they weren't expecting to see.

"Why hello there, Hajime and Chiaki." Nagito greeted. "I'm glad you guys are doing well."

"N-Nagito!?"

"It feels like... it's been a long time since I was able to talk to you two like this. Even though we haven't spoken... for just a few days..."

"...Why are you here?" Chiaki asked.

"Well, there's no need to worry about a loser like me... More importantly, did you hear? Apparently Mahiru got killed this time. Jeez, how horrible... She was the heart of our group, always spirited and very eager to talk... For her to be killed... If only I could have taken her place, I would have gladly done it... But still... you guys will be able to shine because this outcome is full of despair, right!? That's right, no matter how dark the despair, hope can shine much brighter and stronger! Hehe! Though I do feel bad for Mahiru, this is quite exciting! How will everyone overcome despair this time!"

"Looks like... you feel no remorse." Chiaki said.

"So why are you here?" Hajime asked. "Who told you about Mahiru?"

"Y-You don't have to make that scary face." Nagito said. "I'll tell you, you know... Monomi."

"Yes, it was me." Monomi confirmed, appearing beside Nagito.

"You... why'd you untie Nagito without anyone's permission?" Hajime asked.

"D-Did I do bad? I just wanted everyone to get along... and, you know... cooperate..."

"There's no way we'll get along! You already know what kind of guy he is!"

"But... fighting among friends is what Monokuma wants you guys to do..."

"Hajime, you should forgive her." Nagito said. "Monomi is making a valid point, too."

"...You have no right to say that!"

"But now's not the time for friends to fight. There's going to be a class trial for Mahiru, right?"

"Th-That's right!" Monomi agreed. "That's why everyone must work together and have Monokuma..."

"...Enough!" Hajime snapped. "Enough already... just... go away already..."

"...U-Understood." Monomi disappeared just as quickly as she arrived.

"Nagito, you too... hurry up and get lost..."

"Well, I'm a little lonely but... I guess I'll do that. I already saw the true ending of that game, so there's really no reason for me to be here."

"...True ending?"

"So, although I might be a little late... I, too, will do some investigating for a while. I will try to be useful... in my own way."

"Who do you want to be useful to?" Chiaki asked. "The killer? Or us?"

"...Isn't it obvious? I will always be on the side of hope."

As Nagito walked off, Hajime shook his head in frustration. Everything would be much easier to deal with if Nagito weren't there. "...Dammit!"

"Hajime... let's just move on and start the game." Chiaki urged.

"...You're right." As they approached the arcade machine, Hajime spoke up again. "Hey, can I ask you something? Is there a walkthrough for this game?"

"...Hm?"

"I feel like I'm just going to repeat the 2nd Day and 4th Day again, and then get a Game Over... So if there is a walkthrough, can you tell me about it?"

"When you get a Game Over... that's the walkthrough."

"...Huh? What do you mean?"

"Do you want me to tell you? I'll tell you if you want. There's a hidden command."

"...A hidden command?"

"You should have seen it too. You know, that thing that was displayed on the Game Over screen."

"Is that...?" Hajime's eyes widened with realization. "Are you talking about the message that says, "Down five"?"

"Just so you know... that doesn't mean you down five drinks or something... It means you have to press down five times."

"Then the hidden command is...!"

"You just have to press the down button five times when you're on the title screen. If you do that, you... should be able to go to the real game."

"S-So that's the trick... Just as expected of the Ultimate Gamer."

"It doesn't have anything to do with being a gamer. This is just... you either get it or you don't. In fact, Nagito got it on his own so it looks like he managed to beat the game. C'mon, give it a try."

"Y-Yeah... I got it..." He waited for the title screen to show up before inputting the command. Suddenly, the colours changed, and the subtitle "Truth Edition" was added. "The screen changed... she was right..."

"This is the real game..." Chiaki said. "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case's Truth Edition."

Hajime pressed START, and the game cut to some scrolling text, providing a synopsis of the game and a recap of the previous days Hajime already played. Then, before any gameplay started, a cutscene played.

It showed a schoolyard, and there was a tall boy standing in the middle of the shot. A second passed, and two more people entered the shot, another, shorter boy and a girl.

A text box appeared, and it was labelled _Girl D_. It said, "Hey, Guy G. You said you wanted to speak with us?"

Another text box appeared, this one labelled _Guy F_. "This better be fucking important. We got exams coming up, you know."

The boy who was there originally finally spoke. His text box was labelled _Guy G_. "I know, sorry. But trust me, this is important, and it won't take long. Girl D, Girl E is a friend of yours, right?"

"Y-Yeah, that's right..."

"Well, her and Guy F's sister... they're both in my class. And ever since I got here, they've been getting more and more aggressive with each other. If it doesn't stop soon... I'm worried one of them might end up getting hurt."

"Tch... Is that all?" Guy F asked. "What a waste of time. I don't care what my sister's getting up to. She can handle herself."

"B-But..."

"I'll talk with Girl E about it." Girl D said. "I don't know if she will listen to me, but I'll at least try to resolve the issue."

"Right... Alright. I guess that's all we can do for now. Thanks, guys. I'm sure this will all work out."

Suddenly, the scene faded back to the main plot.

* * *

I stormed out of the room. Out of the building. My friends tried to stop me, to talk to me, but I went right passed them. I needed my space.

Useless. Worthless. That was the best I could muster, huh? A short conversation, I thought that would stop a murder? Why was I such a fool?

I wasn't sure where to go, exactly. As I exited the building, I slowed down. No matter how far I ran, I couldn't run from the past. With nowhere left to go, I sat upon the stone path in front of the administration building. I had my face in my hands.

The past... Why did the past always find a way to come back to bite me? No matter how much work I put into working up for my mistakes, I keep paying the price, with interest.

I... I am making up for it, right? I'm not just the same kid that let Sayaka and Leon die, am I? I mean, I know that there's no way I can change what I've done. No one can change the past. But... anyone can be redeemed. That's what I've always believed. By that logic, I can still redeem myself, right?

I paused, looking up slightly. What did I say? No one can change the past? Well, that wasn't entirely true. Toshihide was able to do it. Through whatever bullshit powers he has, he was able to message his past self and let him know to summon me. If... if only I could do something like that.

I stared up at the sun, dulled slightly by the red clouds of pollution. If I could go back... I could fix everything. That was the thing that stopped me before, right? In all those cycles Toshihide experienced, I couldn't save my friends, but that was because I was still green. Still a child. I needed the killing game in order to mature. If I could go back, though... and retain all my experiences... then I could save everyone...

I shook my head. No. That wouldn't work. Even if I got Junko arrested and saved Natsumi from getting murdered, something new would just rear its head. That's always how it works. No one can know with 100% certainty how the future is going to play out. That's just how it is. The universe would always pull out all the stops to ensure that "fate" is satisfied.

Fate...

I thought about what Toshihide revealed to me before he left this dimension. Every cycle he experienced followed one pattern. There had to be at least 10 deaths before the cycle reset. Of course, I managed to prove that that was a just a coincidence. The cycle wasn't really "resetting," that's just how it looked from Toshihide's perspective, but he was really travelling back in time to the branching point in the timeline. For the rest of us in this timeline, we all remained. Though I guess that's sort of a Schrodinger's situation. Since Toshihide isn't observing us, from his perspective we both exist and don't ex-

What the fuck am I doing!? What is wrong with my head!? I just found out that yet another girl died on my watch, and _I'm postulating quantum physics!_

"**GODDAMMIT!**" I punched the ground and gripped my head in frustration.

"Al? Are you okay?"

I flinched and scampered to my feet, turning to face the voice. Standing a few feet away was Makoto. Apparently, he had followed me.

"I-I'm fine... just, angry..." I admitted.

"At who? The killer?"

"The killer, the world, myself. Does it really matter? There's never one factor that's entirely to blame for any tragedy. It's exhausting to get pissed at everything at once..."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure if I have anything to say... Talking isn't gonna fix anything. I fucked up. Another mistake that I'm just gonna have to make up for."

Makoto met my gaze. His expression wasn't upset, nor was it gentle. He understood my outburst, but he wasn't going to let me walk away just yet. He was going to meet me head on. Just like he always does.

"You know you can't do it all on your own, right?" He asked.

"I know. Even discounting the fact that the rest of you won't let me, I've already made a promise to Chihiro to let him help me. I might as well get everyone else in on it. I'm just unsure what any of us can do about it. What do I tell Fuyuhiko when he wakes up? That I let his sister die because I was a stupid child?"

He shook his head. "Al, you're just falling into Monokuma's trap."

"His... trap?"

"Junko obviously knows we're watching the killing game. That scene in the game wasn't part of the motive, so why did Monokuma include it? He was just trying to mess with you."

I facepalmed. "Fuck... you're right. And it worked. What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Well, the fact that you haven't slept in a few days might explain it."

"...You know about that?"

"I had a hunch." He explained. "Celeste told me that she started kicking you out of the observation room whenever it got late. And that started happening around the same time Byakuya started seeing you in the archives. Have you been sleeping... at all?"

"The last time I slept was after the first trial... So, about four days."

Concern was plain on his face. "Al, you know it's not unusual for people to start hallucinating at the point you're at, right?"

"I know... it's just, I can't rest while all this stuff is going on. I need to be doing _something_..."

"You know you can't be helpful to us if you're exhausted and losing your mind, right?"

I sighed. He won. "Okay, I'll... I'll get some sleep. _After_ the trial, though. I need to see this through, at least."

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"It doesn't matter what I _can _do. All that matters is that I have to."

He was quiet for a minute, obviously disappointed with that, but then he nodded. "You can stay up for the rest of the trial. But when it's over, you need to go straight to bed. I won't take no for an answer."

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Mom."

I took a deep breath to steady myself before heading back into the building.

* * *

Hajime and Chiaki were just finishing up the game. Girl E confessed her crime to Girl D, and Guy F discovered the photos that incriminated her, leaving off with the final line "I will never forgive her!"

However, just when it seemed the game was going to end, another cutscene started up. It was a classroom. Two boys were standing in the shot, one slightly taller than the other.

The taller boy spoke, his text box once again labelled Guy G. "I couldn't do it... I can't do anything right..."

The other boy turned toward him. His text box was labelled Guy H. "...Guy G, are you alright? What are you mumbling about?"

"If... If I couldn't save her, then... What could I possibly do to save you...?"

"Sorry, what did you say? You're too quiet."

"I-I'm sorry..." With that, Guy G ran away, leaving Guy H, as well as Hajime and Chiaki, confused.

Before they could think too hard about it, the screen cut to an image of Monokuma with the words GAME CLEARED above his head.

"Looks like... this is the end..." Hajime said.

"That's the "Truth Edition"..." Chiaki said. "The incident's 1st Day and 3rd Day are depicted in it... Yep, now you've filled in all 4 events from the 1st Day to the 4th Day."

"Hey Chiaki, what do you think of the characters in this game?" Hajime asked.

"You mean like Girl A and Girl B?... Their names make no sense and they have no romantic chemistry either."

"No, not that..."

"While you were talking... Looks like the ending's staff roll started."

"...Staff roll?" Hajime turned back to the arcade machine.

"You should be able to find out what you wanna know if you look at it... probably."

PRODUCER: Monokuma

DIRECTOR: Monokuma

SUPERVISOR: Monokuma

PLAN/SCENARIO: Monokuma

PROGRAMMER: Monokuma

GRAPHICS: Monokuma

SOUND: Monokuma

CAST:

Tsumiki

Koizumi

Hiyoko

Mioda

Sato

Kuzuryu

Wright

Hinata

Kuzuryu

"W-Wait! Just now...!"

"See, didn't I tell you?" Chiaki asked. "What you wanna know is gonna be on there."

"Yaaaaay!" Monokuma cheered as he appeared out of nowhere. "Congraaaaats! Miracle congratulatioooooons! You have finally beaten Twilight Syndrome Murder Case! Now that you guys have played this game through to the end, you should already know... That's right, that game is a nonfiction game based on an actual past incident!"

"I-Is that true...!?" Hajime asked.

"By the way, "nonfiction" means an original story based on historical facts or records."

"Hey, answer my question...!"

"Buuuuut... even if this is nonfiction, you guys probably don't remember it. Well, that can't be helped. The school life you no longer remember is the setting for this story. At any rate... congratulations! Now then, as for the ending prize that I'm supposed to give you as a reward for clearing the game... I won't give it to ya!"

"Ending prize...?"

"There was only one ending prize, and I already gave it to the first person who beat it! Puhuhu, how disappointing!" With that, he disappeared.

"Did you say... ending prize?"

"Like... I was told the same thing when I beat it too." Chiaki said. "Man, I was too late. If I'd known something like this was gonna happen, I would've played the game sooner."

"But the ending prize isn't the problem. It's what Monokuma said earlier... He mentioned how he used our school life as the setting of the game..." The gears in Hajime's head were starting to turn.

"It looks like... there's something on your mind."

"...Huh?"

"Monokuma probably said the same thing to everyone else who's beaten the game. That this game is nonfiction... That it's the "missing link" that existed in our forgotten school memories..."

"...So do you believe it?" Hajime asked. "Do you really believe... our memories were taken?"

"I don't know but... instead of thinking about that right now, we gotta focus on solving this mystery first. Whether we believe it's the motive or not, it's clear that a murder did occur."

"If that's the case... then I need to question them directly. If I do that... I might be able to learn something."

"You're talking about the people whose characters appear in the game, right? Then I'll go too."

With his head held high, Hajime continued on with his investigation.

* * *

"The time for unparalleled hedonism... has come to an end... Come! Now is the time to fight the decisive battle! The hostility of fresh blood! The insanity of a contest of wits! The class trial is finally raising its curtains! Soooo, meet up... in front of Monokuma Rock! Once you're there, please proceed to the underground by taking the elevator located at the secret entrance. Puhuhu, I'll see you soon!"

Following the announcement, most of the students made their way to Monokuma Rock as they were instructed. The keyword being most.

"Noooo! Lemme go! Help meeee!" Hiyoko screamed. "Waaaaaaaaaaah! He's gonna do something crazy to me! I'll be ruined!"

"Hey, shut up and stay put!" Monokuma roared, pinning her down. "You stubborn little lolita!"

"H-Hey!" Monomi snapped. "Stop harrassing little girls!

"Th-This is... what's going on?" Hajime asked as he arrived.

"Hiyoko was trying to run away, so Monokuma brought her here by force..." Nekomaru explained. "But Hiyoko's still trying to run away, so Monokuma's trying to wrap her in a full nelson..."

"Running away, Hiyoko? That strikes me as an admission of guilt..." Maki remarked.

Hiyoko started to gain some wriggle room, and Monokuma snapped. "Hey! If you don't stay put, I'm gonna make you a part of this island's food chain!"

Her only response was to give up, sobbing pathetically on the ground. "Jeez, making me waste my sweet-ass time... But there's another problem to deal with besides this one... Where the heck is Fuyuhiko!? That guy... he totally ditched! He totally ditched my appointment! He... pisses... me off... Ah... aaa... aaaaa..." Suddenly, his plush body started pulsating. "Aaaa... aa... aaaaaah...!" He began to glow, and with a flash of light, right before the student's eyes, Monokuma suddenly became completely jacked, buff, muscular, and other such synonyms.

"Eeek! His anger changed his form!" Ibuki shrieked.

"...I'm right here." Fuyuhiko announced flatly.

"...Ah-huh?" Monokuma turned to face him, surprised.

"Ah, Fuyuhiko, you came... I was worried about you." Chiaki said.

"There's nowhere for me to run, anyway... So no matter the ending... I have to accept it, right? But still... I'm a yakuza! Accepting defeat is not an option!"

"Fuyuhiko, what does that mean...?" Hajime asked.

"Well... it's all good. If the trial heats up, it's all good." Monokuma said. "Anyway, looks like everyone's here, so let us depart now! I'll go first and be one step ahead of you guys!" He turned his muscular back toward them and disappeared.

"With that disturbing imagery out of the way, I suppose it's time to go." Maki decided. "There's not much to be gained from standing around. We're as prepared as we'll ever be."

"...Do you even hafta prepare?" Akane asked.

"If you don't have enough power, harness your latent energy!" Nekomaru instructed. "C'mon, bring out that energyyyyyyyy!"

"So it begins... the beginning of the end..." Gundham muttered.

"Now then, let's keep our spirits high!" Nagito said. "So we can one day find that shining hope!"

In response, Monokuma Rock opened his mouth and barfed a escalator. The students slowly lined up.

"Eeek! No matter how many times I see it, it's such bad taste! The worst, the lowest, most brutal taste!" Monomi whined.

Once everyone reached the top and entered the elevator, it began its descent underground. The students remained silent as they were brought miles beneath the earth. Maki's heart hammered in her chest, but she stared straight forward, betraying nothing.

Finally, the elevator stopped, and the student poured into the trial room.

"Aim! Defeat the boring routine!" Monokuma said. "...Sooooo, I've decided to start redecorating. How's it look? Mr. Monokuma's redecoration is awesome, isn't it? It's not like I'd allow you to think otherwise anyway!"

"To go to the trouble of doing something this elaborate..." Sonia said. "Really... what is your true intention?"

"Nothing really... Essentially, this killing game is just to kill time anyway."

"Kill time..!?" Akane asked.

"To break away from my purpose! That alone is my purpose! A purpose is only gonna be a weakness! Those who have purpose are always the weakest ones in the bunch! That's why you guys should forget about such cheap-ass purposes like "trying to survive..." And enjoy the class trial from the bottom of your heeeeeeaaaaarts!"

Everyone made their way to the podiums with their names on them. Maki took her place between Peko and Sonia, directly across from Fuyuhiko. She steeled her nerves. She would have to find the truth of this case, by any means necessary. No one was leaving this room without some blood being spilled.

And so, the curtain rose on... A trial for life, and a judgement of death... Deception in life, and treachery in death... Betrayal for life, and betrayal for death... The riddles of life, and the mystery of death... Justification for life, and rationalization of death... Faith in life, and trust in death... A life or death... Class Trial!

* * *

**I didn't mention this last time, but if you're curious, that ridiculously overblown last sentence there is from a fan translation from before the game was officially released in North America. Y'know, the same translations that call Monokuma "Monobear." I've never played it myself, but when I heard that that's what Makoto says before each trial, I knew I had to use it for Maki. Of course, maybe I should look up the fan translation, just to see how hilariously bad the rest of it is.**

**Also, Albert needs to practice self-care. But hey, that's just the kinda guy he is, working himself to the bone just to solve a mystery and help his friends. Still, it's nice to know that Makoto is there for him. That's just the kinda guy he is, always making sure his friends can stand, and lending them a shoulder if they can't.**

**In the next chapter, we will begin the class trial to discover who killed Mahiru Koizumi.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Alright, enough! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I really do care about my schedule! Please, Hifumi, god of fanfiction, give me my punctuality back! All I know is this trial, all I remember is this chapter! I have forgotten the face of my beloved, this story has enveloped me for so long! I REPENT!**

**...Ahem. Where was I? Oh, right, this chapter. Yeah, it's the trial for the second case. That's really all I can say without spoilers. Some parts of this chapter did go through quite a few rewrites however, which resulted in the delay, just in case you were curious. It's quite long, so I added something a little different to break up the monotony. Let me know what you think.**

**As always, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, whether for the trials or in general, feel free to let me know.**

**With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Justice and Vengeance**

**CLASS TRIAL! ALL RISE!**

"Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for "whodunnit." If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone _besides_ the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this island!"

Monomi shook her head from where she hung. "O-O-Oh... No matter how many times I hear it, it's such a cruel rule!"

"Now then, let's first discuss the motive! That masterpiece of gaming: Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!"

"Whaaaat? Who cares about that game!?" Ibuki asked.

"The outcome of this trial should be determined by whether or not we find Mahiru's killer..." Gundham said.

"Nevertheless, we shouldn't ignore it." Nagito said. "After all, that game is the motive this time."

"Yeah... you're right... Then let's try discussing that first." Chiaki decided.

"I'm sure everyone who's beaten the game already knows that it's based on an actual murder case."

"Some of us have not beaten that game..." Peko pointed out. "Give us a detailed explanation."

"It means... "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case" is a nonfiction game. Additionally, some of us are characters in that game, too."

"S-Some of us are characters in a video game!?" Nekomaru asked.

"So... I think it's better if we clarify who the characters in the game are first." Chiaki said.

"Girl A is probably... Mikan Tsumiki." Hajime decided.

"Uuaah... M-M-Me!?"

"That timid tone... That definitely sounds like Girl A... Based on the list of names in the staff roll, I can't think of anyone else who would be Girl A."

"Wh-Why am I in a video game? Th-That's an infringement of my right to privacy!"

"Ha!" Hiyoko laughed. "A nasty, trashy, pigshit like you doesn't have any privacy rights!"

"Ah... "A nasty, trashy, pigshit"..." Chiaki repeated. "I feel like I heard that in the game, too."

"...Huh?"

"And like clockwork, we find our Girl B." Maki said. "After all, just like Hiyoko, she was short and prone to swearing."

"Short and prone to swearing...? That's like the complete opposite of me!" Hiyoko snapped.

"...Anyway, let's move on." Nagito decided. "Next is Girl C."

"Girl C... is Ibuki." Hajime said.

"Girl C? Then I'll "C" you next Tuesday!" The girl in question cheered.

Chiaki stared for a moment before saying, "...Let's move on to Girl D."

"Girl D is Mahiru... the victim in this case." Hajime said.

"Yeah, that's correct." Nagito agreed. "Let's skip Girl E... and talk about Guy F."

"Aren't you Guy F... Fuyuhiko?"

"Hmph, I was in a game? That's fuckin' stupid..." Fuyuhiko said.

"Ah, that reminds me... Wasn't there another person whose last name was Kuzuryu?" Nagito recalled.

"...Another person?" Byakuya asked.

"It was one of the names on the staff roll... The names were Tsumiki, Koizumi, Saionji, Mioda, Sato, Kuzuryu, Wright, Hinata, and then another Kuzuryu."

"Hold on...!" Nekomaru interrupted. "Why do you keep saying there were two Kuzuryus...!?"

"It's not like I'm wrong. That's how it's written on the staff roll." He turned to Hajime. "Since you beat the game... you probably know what this actually means, right?"

Hajime hesitated for a moment. "In the game, Guy F... "Kuzuryu"... mentions that he has a little sister."

Fuyuhiko made a sound like he was choking. Next to him, Akane asked, "...Hm? Whaddaya mean "little sister"?"

"This is what Guy F said in the game... "That bitch... what the hell did she do to my little sister!" On top of that, Guy G brings it up to him at one point, and he doesn't deny it. It's pretty clear... There's no doubt Guy F had a little sister. Plus, the sister actually appeared in the game. That's why the name "Kuzuryu" appeared twice."

"By the way, what role did Guy F's little sister, the other "Kuzuryu," play...?" Nagito asked. "You probably noticed, right?"

Once again, Hajime hesitated. "The dead high school girl who was the first victim in the game... is the only person I can think of."

"Based on Guy F's tone in the game, it's clear that Girl E is not his little sister..." Nagito explained. "So if the only girl left is the dead high school girl... then she must be Fuyuhiko's sister."

"Tch... Why do you sound so fuckin' happy...?" The Yakuza snapped. "That's a winning personality you've got there...!"

"Winning personality...? Are you praising me!?"

"I was being sarcastic, dumbass!"

"Hey... You said the game is a work of nonfiction." Gundham said. "That means Fuyuhiko's little sister is..."

"Yeah, I have a little sister..." Fuyuhiko admitted. "Somethin' wrong with that!? It's just a fuckin' game, don't go mixing up some video game with reality!"

"It's not just a game... It's based on true events..." Nagito said. "That's why it's the motive..."

"D-Don't go making shit up, bastard! If she was the type to die easily, I'd have fuckin' killed her myself a long time ago... I-I mean, when I first entered Hope's Peak Academy, she was mouthin' off to me as usual and... s-sent me off... I-It happened just the other day!"

Monokuma interrupted. "Um, about that... You're probably thinking like that because you've lost your memories..."

"Shut the fuck up! You be quiet!"

"I see..." Nagito said sadly. "So you're never gonna accept that the game is based on true events, huh...? Okay, I understand your attitude toward this class trial now!"

"Nagito... you seem to be doubting Fuyuhiko a lot." Nekomaru noted. "Do you suspect he's the killer?"

"A mystery that easy would make me feel sad. It wouldn't be good enough to serve as everyone's stepping stone... That's why I'd be much happier if Fuyuhiko wasn't the killer!"

"Well unfortunately, I think you're going to end up disappointed." Maki told him. "In any case, we still have two more characters to identify, but something tells me they aren't quite as important."

"I'm curious about that name... "Wright." It's obviously out of place." Byakuya decided.

"Curious as it is, I don't think we need to worry about it." Maki said a little too quickly. "The point of the game is to act as a motive. There's no one here by the name of Wright, though. No matter which way you look at it, that character only exists to fill in some blanks."

"I... suppose you're right. Still, I can't help but feel he may be related to our situation."

"As for the last person, Guy H only appears in the epilogue, and only exchanges a few lines of dialogue. His role is about as important as Wright, just there to fill in the blanks. Still, as mentioned in the list, the only name left is Hinata. Hajime, that'd be you, correct?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess... I'm not sure why Monokuma decided to include that scene with me and Guy G, but I guess that's not important right now."

"Anyway... Now we've established who all the characters in the game are." Chiaki said.

"Girl A is Mikan, Girl B is Hiyoko, Girl C is Ibuki, Girl D is Mahiru, Guy F is Fuyuhiko, Guy H is Hajime... And... the first victim in the game-that dead high school girl-is Fuyuhiko's sister." Gundham recapped.

"That's just a story in a fuckin' game...!" Fuyuhiko insisted.

"If so, then Girl E is Miss Sato..." Chiaki said.

"Could it be... the same Miss Sato who likes white rice!?" Ibuki shrieked.

"I don't know which Sato you're talking about but... I don't think she's relevant to this case."

"Maybe it's related to Gundham's last name since they're both really plain names!" Akane suggested.

"Tanaka may be an ordinary family name, but it's far better than Sato or Suzuki!"

"Hey, no one cares about that!" Monokuma snapped. "Hurry up and talk about the mystery of the game!"

"...Huh? What do you mean, "mystery of the game"?" Monomi asked.

"My my, you don't know? I heard that Girl E got killed!"

"Whaaaaaat! No waaaaaay! Is that true?"

"Getting killed is sooooooo violent, don'tcha know."

"My, such awful times we live in! Why did this happen!?"

"Can you two go ten minutes without butting into the conversation?" Maki asked.

"So the "mystery of the game" is the murder of Girl E, correct?" Peko asked.

"Then let's hurry up and solve it!" Nagito said. "Let's first figure out why Girl E was killed!"

"The reason Girl E was killed is because she killed the first victim in the game." Hajime decided.

"Which means Girl E was killed as revenge for the dead high school girl." Nagito added. "What do you think, Fuyuhiko? Apparently Girl E was killed to avenge your little sister."

"You're fucking persistent... I don't care what that game said at all... but..."

"...But?"

"I-Is... that true...? Girl E, she... she killed the first victim?"

"In order to make that clear, we need to know more about the case involving the first victim's murder..."

"It's the murder that occurred in the music room." Chiaki explained. "I knew it would come up so I prepared in advance." She pulled out a piece of paper. "Look, I made a map of the music room's surroundings, which was the stage of the first case."

"...I'm surprised you went to all this trouble." Hajime said as he examined the map.

"...Mapping is second nature to retro game fans. Classic dungeon-crawler RPGs have a first-person point-of-view, so mapping as you play it is a basic-"

"We get it!" Nekomaru interrupted. "Let's talk about that later so we can focus on the case!"

"Then... I'll start explaining."

* * *

"So, how does the Twilight Syndrome Case play out, Al?" Makoto asked.

"Why're you asking me? Just wait, they'll solve it themselves." I said.

"I was talking more about how it plays out in your world. I just wanted to be sure there weren't any differences."

"Oh, right. Well, it's a simple case, since it only really served to pad out the trial. Girl E, Miss Sato, is the killer, like they just said. She wanted to stop the victim, Natsumi, from bullying Mahiru. But their confrontation got hostile fast, and she started strangling her in a rage. Since strangling isn't the cause of death, she probably stopped halfway through when she came to her senses, but by that point it was too late to turn back. If Natsumi woke up, Sato's life would be over. So she took her own swimsuit, tied off one end, packed it with gravel, tied off the other end, and then used it as a bludgeon to bash Natsumi's head in until she stopped moving."

"That's quite brutal." Celeste remarked. "So, how did she escape?"

"Simple. She had already escaped long before the other girls arrived at the entrance. She just used the key to the music room to lock the door behind her, then returned it to the office. The shattering sound the girls heard was actually a vase in the other room breaking. Sato broke it on purpose to make it seem like the murder happened more recently, to give herself an alibi. On top of that, the fact that her swimsuit was the murder weapon allowed her to weave a lie about a local pervert stealing it, making him seem like the most likely suspect."

"I see. And Hajime is going to solve this mystery?" Celeste asked.

"Yep, just like Makoto solved all the mysteries in our killing game. And Chiaki, Nagito, and Maki are basically filling the same roles as Kyoko, Byakuya, and me. More helpful than the rest, but still not as skilled as the protagonist."

"Um... I'm honoured?" Makoto said. "Anyway, I suppose we should try to pay attention. For some reason, talking about things from your world makes my head feel weird."

I nodded. "Sure. Still, it doesn't look like this case is very different, so far."

* * *

"So how about it, Monokuma?" Maki asked. "Are you satisfied? Can we get on with the stuff that matters, now?"

"The happiness you feel when the mystery you create is solved... Only producers know this feeling of ecstasy!" The bear cried.

"But the real important talk begins now..." Nagito muttered. "Girl E had someone who can be called an accomplice. That person was actually... Girl D."

"Girl D... You're talkin' about Mahiru, right?" Akane recalled.

"Huh? Mahiru is the accomplice...?" Hiyoko asked. "What is this? What does that mean?"

"The piece of vase that became an important clue in the music room murder... Girl D got rid of it." Hajime explained.

"And... apparently the reason Girl E committed murder in the first place was to "protect" Girl D." Chiaki added. "Girl D was being harrassed by the victim... Girl E found out and tried to stop it, and they ended up getting into an argument..."

"And she felt a rush of anger and ended up killing her..." Nekomaru finished.

"But she should've had a clear murderous intent." Nagito pointed out. "I mean, she choked her out and then bludgeoned her to death."

"She probably... made her unconscious by accident..." Mikan said. "A-And from there, she couldn't go back... I-I... I sort of understand that feeling."

"You can!? That's pretty scary!" Ibuki shouted.

"But Girl E was also killed by someone on the "4th Day," or the game's last day..." Nagito continued. "I might as well ask just in case... Who do you think killed Girl E?"

"It should've been... Guy F." Hajime decided.

"A scenario where Guy F murders Girl E out of a burning hellfire desire to avenge his murdered sister...!" Gundham mused.

Byakuya thought for a moment. "But... Guy F is..."

"...What?" Fuyuhiko asked. "It's just a story in a video game, isn't it?"

"That's all you can say." Nagito said, amused. "If that game is telling the truth, it'd be a huge problem for you."

"Hey, clear this up for me." Nekomaru said. "Those of you who appeared as characters in the game, do you remember this incident?"

"Th-That is... I'm terribly sorry but..." Mikan stuttered.

"They don't remember! That's obvious!" Monokuma cheered. "Cuz their school memories were like totally stolen!"

"Even if I don't remember, I already know!" Hiyoko snapped. "It's obvious that guy is the killer! No one would kill a nice persona like Mahiru besides a piece of shit, menace to society like Fuyuhiko! Girl E and Mahiru were killed by that guy!"

"Tch... You sure do talk a lot of shit... Well, I'm used to it by now..."

"But does Mahiru's murder have anything to do with that game?" Peko asked. "Perhaps the two are unrelated."

"As the resident Criminologist, I can assure you there's at least one link between the two crimes." Maki said. "At the very least, the blackened has played the game. Mahiru and Miss Sato were both killed by a blow to the head by a metal bat. There's no way that's coincidental."

"Someone must've wanted to split her head open the exact same way they avenged the first victim." Hiyoko said. She turned to Fuyuhiko. "Hey, why don't you confess already? You're the one that killed Mahiru, right?"

"Y-You better cut that out right now...! There is no way a stupid game could be the motive!"

"You're dumb enough to believe that stupid game and that's why you killed her as revenge!"

"If you keep making up your mind like that, we're just going to go around in circles..." Peko warned. "And... it's true Fuyuhiko may look suspicious, but don't you think that'd be too obvious?"

"Wh-What are y-?" Fuyuhiko tried to ask before being interrupted by Peko continuing.

"I mean... there's a possibility that it's a trap set by the true killer."

"Tr-Trap...? What do you mean...?" Hiyoko asked.

"The true killer played that game and most likely found out about the relationships between the characters." Peko explained. "That person could be using that knowledge to try and set up Fuyuhiko."

"Are you saying that a completely different killer murdered Mahiru and used the game motive as their cover?" Sonia asked.

"Isn't that what happened, Hiyoko?" Peko asked.

"...H-Huh!?"

"Don't you understand!? I'm saying you might be the true killer!"

* * *

"Hiyoko's not the killer though, is she?" Makoto guessed.

"I mean, you could always ask Chiaki." Celeste suggested. "She saw the murder play out on the camera, after all."

"I... don't think she's in the best state right now."

"In any case, Makoto's right." I said. "Hiyoko was framed by the true killer. Of course, she really did go to the beach house that day. Her footprints are there, after all. But that letter Mahiru had was forged."

_I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box. About what we discussed earlier, is it okay if we change the place and time? I want you to come to the beach house on the second island at 2:30 p.m. It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting. Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while. It would be bad if they started suspecting us for no reason._

_-Hiyoko Saionji_

"And I don't even need to point out how obvious a red-herring the gummy is. Still, it's effective in getting the class against Hiyoko." I said, gesturing back to the monitor.

* * *

"There's no doubt you went to the beach house, right?" Nekomaru pressed.

"U-Um... That is..."

"And weren't you also hiding in the closet?" Fuyuhiko asked. "So that's when you dropped the gummy!"

"No, that's wrong!" Maki interjected. "As funny as this is to watch, maybe we could all take a step back and stop ganging up on the child for a moment. After all, it's not like we have any proof that Hiyoko was the one who dropped that gummy."

"The only one childish enough to eat gummies is that midget over there." Fuyuhiko argued.

"I wouldn't say that too loud, Boss Baby. Besides, it might be true that Hiyoko eats gummies, but she only eats a specific brand." Reluctantly, she gestured for Nagito to continue.

"The brand of gummies you eat only has strawberry, melon, grape, and orange flavours, right?" He asked.

"Huh? But what about the lemon flavour...?" Mikan asked. "The... the gummy at the crime scene was yellow, so it obviously looked like it was lemon-flavoured..."

"Huh? That gummy is yellow?" Hiyoko asked. "Then it's not mine! The ones I eat don't have any yellow gummies!"

"What...?" Peko gasped.

"That's right... None of the gummy bags in her cottage had any yellow ones." Nagito confirmed.

"Then we can't assume Hiyoko is the one who dropped that yellow gummy." Chiaki agreed.

"S-See! Didn't I tell you!? It's definitely a trap! Ugh... Dammit... Who would set a trap like this...? I'll get my revenge! I'll bop you on the head with all my might!"

"Hold on, you little bitch!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "You think you're in the clear just because of a little gummy!? Don't be stupid! I'm not done backing you into a corner yet! There's still a huge piece of evidence left!"

"You're talking about the footprints near the beach house, right?" Mikan asked.

"It's true, that's an important piece of evidence." Nekomaru agreed. "...and we can thank Mahiru for it!"

"What does that mean?" Ibuki asked.

"Mahiru used her last ounce of strength and blocked the door to the road." Akane explained.

"No, that's wrong!" Hajime shouted. "Mahiru didn't block the door. Her death... was instant."

"I-Instant death?" Akane repeated.

"According to my autopsy... Yes... there's no doubt Mahiru died instantly..." Mikan explained.

"I-If you keep making shit up... I'll fucking kill you!" Fuyuhiko threatened.

"Eeeeek! I-I'm sorry!"

"Fuyuhiko, you cannot do that." Sonia said. "Only a coward threatens women."

"I'm pretty sure... her death was instant, too." Nagito agreed. "I mean, her injury was only a single blow. That's why Mahiru didn't block the door. Someone else used her body to block it."

"S-Someone else...?" Mikan asked.

"The killer, of course." Hajime decided. "They're the one who blocked the door with Mahiru's body. That's why there were bloody drag marks left on the floor..."

"But why did the killer block the door?" Ibuki asked.

"Just ask Hiyoko! She's the killer, after all!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"S-Seriously... that's not true...!"

"Let's assume Hiyoko _is _the killer..." Chiaki asked. "Wouldn't that mean she's also the one who dragged the body? If she handled a body that bloody, I think her clothes or skin would've been stained with blood..."

"But Mikan, Ibuki, and I can testify that she was spotless when we saw her." Maki confirmed.

"S-See!? I told you I wasn't the killer! Yaaaay! With this, my innocence has been proven!"

"I won't let you look down on me!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "W-We haven't decided that yet!"

"Hey, Fuyuhiko... Why do you keep insisting that Hiyoko is the killer?" Hajime asked.

"Shut up! I'm telling you she's the killer! That little bitch is definitely the killer! If Mahiru didn't block the door, then Hiyoko did it! She killed Mahiru, and blocked the door with her body! Hiyoko is the only killer I can think of!"

"If Hiyoko moved the body... then she should be covered in blood!"

"So what, dumbass!? There's a shower room inside the beach house. After she moved the body, she just washed it off in the shower!"

"No, washing it off in the shower is impossible because the shower in the beach house was out of order!"

"O-Out of order...?"

"I'm terribly sorry..." Monomi apologized. "I haven't had any time to actually repair it..."

"Then... maybe she took her clothes off to move the body, and when she was done she... put them back on...!"

"A-Are you saying I did something that perverted!?"

"I think we can all agree Hiyoko isn't clever enough to think of something like that." Maki quipped. "Even if she was, we already know Hiyoko can't get dressed by herself. It's the whole reason she clung onto Mahiru so quickly. Oh, but you wouldn't know that, would you, Mr. Lone Wolf?"

"Wh-What...!?"

"Oh yeah, she couldn't even tie her sash on her own." Akane recalled. "That's why she couldn't take a bath and smelled bad."

"I-I didn't _smell_... and it only smelled a little..."

"Oh, wasn't changing inside the beach house prohibited in the first place?" Chiaki asked.

"Yes... If you broke the rules, I'm pretty sure Monokuma wouldn't have kept quiet..." Monomi said.

"Damn right! I'm such a stickler for the rules that even safari park rangers want nothing to do with me."

"If she didn't change her clothes, then what did Hiyoko do with the blood that got on her!?" Ibuki asked.

"Like I've been saying, the blood wasn't on me in the first place!" She snapped. "'Cause I've never touched Mahiru's body!"

"Well given that you showered together, that's one of the most blatantly false statements I've ever heard." Maki said. "Still, I know what you mean. It seems on the charge of murder at least, you're innocent."

"See... I already told you... There's no way I'd kill Mahiru... Cause... Mahiru taught me how to wear a kimono... and she was very, very kind... There's no way I would kill a nice person like her! Why wouldn't you believe me earlier!? You guys are stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

"Hiyoko... please don't cry." Mikan consoled. "Everything is fine now... right?"

"Shut the hell up, pig barf! I hope you get a hangnail and die!"

"Waaah! I'm sorry for being pig barf!"

Maki sighed. "I suppose it was nice while it lasted..."

"Hey Hiyoko..." Nagito said. "Now that our suspicions have been addressed, can you tell us the truth?"

"...Huh?"

"Even though you're not the killer... You still went to the beach house, right?"

"L-Like I said... it was a trap...!"

"Yeah, I got that already so... can you give us the details about that trap?"

"I would like to know, too..." Nekomaru agreed. "It might lead to some kind of clue...!"

"F-Fine... you want me to talk, huh...? Um... Earlier this morning... Mahiru was the one who came up to me. She asked if we could meet up later..."

"Huh? But didn't you say earlier that she never talked to you today?" Ibuki asked. "Dammit, so that was a lie!?"

"C-Cause... I thought I'd be doubted if I admitted it... So I figured it was better not to say anything..."

"So... what was your answer to Mahiru's invitation?" Nekomaru asked.

"I told her it was fine. I mean, I didn't have a reason to say no. Unlike everyone else here, Mahiru was someone I wasn't embarrassed to be seen with... At the time, we were supposed to meet around 2:00 p.m. but... around noon, there was a letter in my mailbox."

"...A letter?" Chiaki asked.

"Yeah, this one..." She reached into her kimono and produced a letter nearly identical to the one Mahiru had.

_I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box. About what we discussed earlier, is it okay if we change the place? I want you to come to the beach house on the second island. The time is still the same at 2:00 p.m. It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting. Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while. It would be bad if they started suspecting us for no reason._

_-Mahiru Koizumi_

"I saw this letter... and went to the beach house at that time."

"This letter..." Hajime thought for a moment. "Doesn't it look like its contents are different from the letter Mahiru had? Mahiru's letter said to meet at 2:30 p.m., but in Hiyoko's letter..."

"Woah! The meeting times are off!" Nekomaru realized.

"It's also strange that both letters wanted to change their meeting spot to the beach house. It would be plausible if one of them said it, but for both letters to say the same thing..."

"H-Hiyoko! Since you wrote it, what do you think!?" Ibuki asked.

"Like I said, I never wrote the letter! How many times do I have to tell you!?"

"The killer... must've forged both letters..." Hajime decided.

"The killer forged them so they could manipulate their actions..." Nagito said. "Yeah, that's how we should think about it."

"That seems very likely." Nekomaru agreed, holding both letters. "In fact, if you compare both letters... Confirmed! Just as I assumed, the handwriting is the same! The contents of the letters matches, too!"

Chiaki nodded. "Like this part: "I was going to tell you in person, but I couldn't find you so I put this in your mail box." This part: "It seems there's someone who wants to interfere with our meeting." And this part: "Let's keep it a secret. Until then, let's try not to see each other for a while"."

"Th-The killer forged... both of those letters..." Mikan said.

"In doing so, they were able to control Hiyoko and Mahiru to do their bidding... like a Netherworld puppeteer." Gundham said.

"S-So they completely tricked me... and then... Mahiru's killer... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! How mean! Give me back Mahiru!"

"Really... this is really terrible..." Nagito agreed. "I've offered to help so many times... but the killer this time didn't discuss their plan with me at all... It's all my fault! I'm so ashamed of being unreliable!"

"Here we go again." Ibuki groaned. "Once we let our guard down, this happens!"

"...We can just lightly punch him to death later." Akane assured her.

"...So based on what the letter said, you went to the beach house at 2:00 p.m., right Hiyoko?" Hajime asked.

"What's most important is what happened afterward." Peko said. "What on earth happened there?"

"Teehee, I fell asleep."

"Why'd you fall asleep!?" Mikan asked.

"I-It's not like I wanted to... I think I was forced to get a whiff of some kind of medicine or something..."

* * *

"I see." Celeste said. "This whole case was built around Hiyoko. From the beginning, she was the one the killer planned to pin the crime on."

"Yep. There's always gotta be that one case where the killer wants to pin the blame on someone in particular. And of course, it's always someone who could be reasonably seen as a killer. Like Byakuya."

"I was just about to say that it reminded me of Yasuhiro's case in our killing game." Celeste recalled. "How the whole thing was set around you being the culprit."

"I'd rather not talk about that one. Bad memories. In any case, Hiyoko hasn't made it easy on herself with the way she acts..."

* * *

"Tch! Is it really okay to believe her so easily?" Fuyuhiko asked. "She might be faking those tears, you know...!"

"This will never end if you keep being so suspicious!" Nekomaru warned.

"Isn't that what a class trial is all about? The only way to survive is by being suspicious... This is where we go to thoroughly doubt each other... So if you believe in each other so easily... then there's definitely somethin' wrong with you!"

"You're wrong, Fuyuhiko..." Nagito said. "We aren't supposed to doubt each other here, we're supposed to work together. The class trial is where we cooperate with each other, work hard, and aim for victory. The killer and everyone else... Two hopes attempting to grasp the one, true hope... Two hopes clashing with each other is poetry in motion! That... is what a class trial should be!"

Byakuya shook his head. "You know, Nagito, it's impossible to trust someone who refuses to choose a side."

"I'm on the side of the absolute hope that can overcome any despair. And I believe that absolute hope... exists at the point where two hopes clash."

"Your stance is neither white nor black, but grey..." Gundham said. "And you do not yearn for your life, or even for victory..."

"...Jeez, I wish he'd just side with the enemy already so I can believe what he's saying!" Ibuki groaned.

"Let's stop... believing every little thing Nagito says is a waste of time." Hajime declared.

"Yeah... we need to figure out who Mahiru's killer is!" Nekomaru said.

"There should be a new clue contained in what Hiyoko has told us..." Sonia decided. "So... let us believe Hiyoko's words and discuss it once again with everyone!"

"Yep yep!" Monomi agreed. "The debate proceeds when you assume you can believe each other... Good job! That's the right way! That's the splendid power of teamwork! Hey! What do you think of that, Monokuma!? I'm not gonna let you have the outcome you want!" She turned to the bear, who was slumped in his chair, snoring. "Ha-wa-wa!? He's sleeping!"

"Dumbasses..." Fuyuhiko muttered. "You bastards don't know anything... If you're stupid enough to trust each other... the only thing waitin' for you is the bitter truth."

"Well, now that we've decided to believe in Hiyoko... now what?" Ibuki asked.

"If the killer was luring Hiyoko into a trap, then something that was used there might be a clue." Chiaki said.

"Do you mean the letter?" Peko asked.

"...No, it was probably the gummy."

"Huh? Candy can be a clue?" Akane asked.

Chiaki turned to Hiyoko. "Hey, when you woke up, was the gummy already there?"

"Ah, now that you mention it... I feel like it wasn't..."

"...Just as I thought."

"...Just as you thought?" Hajime repeated.

"If the killer planted evidence while Hiyoko was there, she would've thrown it away if she found it."

"Which means... the gummy was placed inside the closet after Hiyoko left the beach house?" Nekomaru deduced.

"The killer returned to the scene of the crime? After I left?" Hiyoko asked.

"They wouldn't have to do something that troublesome as long as they hid somewhere within the beach house." Gundham explained.

"That's impossible!" She argued. "There's nowhere to hide! I even glanced inside the shower room as I was running away... but there was nobody there!"

Maki thought for a moment before suggesting, "What about the closet?"

"The closet...? That's where I was locked up!"

"Yes, but you said that after you woke up, you left it in a rush, correct? You didn't examine your surroundings, did you?"

"But could two people even hide in such a small place?" Peko wondered. "And without Hiyoko noticing?"

"That's why the killer made sure to arrange a hiding place." Chiaki said.

"What about the surfboard case in the closet?" Hajime suggested. "I'm pretty sure they could have hidden in there."

"Huh? Inside the surfboard case?" Hiyoko repeated.

"But the shelf it was on... it was pretty messy, don't you think?" Chiaki recalled. "Two surfboards were stacked on the top shelf... and there were surfboards that weren't even in a case. The killer probably did that on purpose to secure a hiding place. Cuz we haven't been on this island that long, so the closet shouldn't have been that messy... I think."

"Then... the killer was close to me during that time?" Hiyoko shuddered.

"Yeah... they were quietly holding their breath and hiding very close to you." Hajime confirmed.

"It's kinda like "In for a penny, in for a pound", so to speak." Ibuki offered.

"Don't you mean... "It's always darkest under the lighthouse"?" Nekomaru corrected.

"Tahaa! I shouldn't say things I don't understand, like "so to speak"!"

Hajime shook his head. "A-Anyway... the killer hid silently, and after making sure Hiyoko left... They silently left the surfboard case."

"I agree with that as well!" Nagito said.

"Seriously, nobody asked what you think..." Akane said.

"There's no way the killer would leave Hiyoko by herself if they were trying to frame her." He continued. "If Hiyoko was left alone and ruined the evidence the killer had planted, it would've messed up their plan... Instead, it makes more sense to think that the killer was hiding in the beach house, watching Hiyoko!"

"Sayin' whatever ya want even if we didn't ask..." Akane muttered. "All right, if ya don't wanna friggin' get punched, just stand still and lemme punch ya!" She paused, waiting for his response, but he offered none. "Oh, you've shut up. Then... grit your teeth...!"

As she moved toward him and reeled her fist, he raised a hand. "Sorry Akane, it's not like that... Hey Monokuma... can I ask you about something that seems strange to me?"

"I believe Prince Shotoku was from the future." The bear said unhelpfully. "A man from the future is always directing the flow of history."

"I'll listen to your story about men from the future some other time... As I recall, the body discovery announcement is made when three or more people discover a body, right? Is the killer also included... among those three or more people?"

"Y-Yeah... that's true but... Well... something like that... is basically what it's supposed to be..."

"...You don't sound very articulate."

"...Jeez! You're pretty annoying for noticing something like that! I know it sounds like an excuse, but the body discovery announcement isn't supposed to be used for deduction! It's intended to create a fair trial... It's supposed to let everyone know a body has been found."

"I'm not hearing an answer." Maki responded. "If you want a fair trial, we need something to work with here."

He shifted uncomfortable in his seat. "Well... as long as I keep things ambiguous, I can respond to situations with some flexibility."

"Flexibility, huh...?" Nagito repeated. "So what about this time? Is it three people including the killer or not?"

Monokuma scanned the room, seeing the expectant faces of all the students. "...Jeez. Fine, fine. You want me to say it? It doesn't include the killer this time, okay?... All done."

"Which means... three people other than the killer discovered Mahiru's body..."

"What's... wrong with that?" Hajime asked.

"Nothing. I just thought it was somewhat strange. More importantly, let's get back to the original topic."

"You're the one who went on a tangent...!" Nekomaru said.

"U-Um... we were just saying the killer was hiding in the surfboard case, right?" Mikan recalled.

"And after Hiyoko ran away, the killer got to enjoy the simple life of destroying evidence..." Ibuki added.

"However, before we proceed any further... there's something we have to make clear." Gundham said.

* * *

"What about this part, Al?" Makoto asked. "How did you solve this murder in your world?"

"Like most of the mysteries, it seems complicated at first, but becomes obvious when you see the answer." I explained. "Before hiding in the surfboard case, the killer moved Mahiru's body to the door, forcing Hiyoko to run out on the beach and leave her footprints. But doing so covered their body in blood, so after they left the surfboard case, they used all the water bottles in the fridge to wash the blood off of them, since the shower room was out of order. They were able to pinpoint the killer because there aren't any towels in the beach house, and air drying would take too long."

"So? Who's the killer?" Celeste asked.

I pointed to the screen. "It seems the cast is catching up to that point."

* * *

"But if that's the case... Then I know who the killer is." Maki announced.

"...Huh? You do?" Hajime asked.

"H-Hold on... Y-You know who the killer is...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I-Is that.. true!?" Mikan asked.

"Let me ask... Who might that be?" Gundham asked.

In response, the Criminologist simply turned to the girl beside her. "...Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman."

The accused didn't offer a defence.

"Hey... what are you being quiet for?" Hiyoko asked. "They're accusing you of being the killer..."

When Peko did speak, all she said was, "Then I should ask you this: why do you believe I'm the killer?"

"When all us girls were meeting up to go to the beach, I remember that you were completely soaked when you arrived. If the killer really did wash the blood off themself, they'd have to drench their whole body. Blood is sticky, after all. But there were no towels in the beach house, and it would've taken too long to air dry. So you said you went swimming as your cover story."

When she didn't respond again, Byakuya tried to prod her. "Peko, please. If we're to continue, we need your input."

"Hold on, you bitch!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "You saw her at the diner... You never saw her near the beach house, right!? So maybe she really was swimming!"

Maki shook her head. "Honestly. Are you just here to yell at everything I say? You have no evidence to back up your claims. Just sit down and shut up."

"N-Not so fast...! It's too soon to decide she's the killer! We haven't established how the killer was able to leave the beach house!"

"N-Now that you mention it... you're right..." Mikan said.

"The roadside door was blocked, and if it's impossible to leave from the beachside without leaving footprints... Then how the fuck did the killer escape!?"

"Um, why are you all fired up, Fuyuhiko?" Ibuki asked. "You're not the suspect, Peko is."

"Wh-Who cares about that!? Answer me! If you have an explanation then show me what you got!"

* * *

"He's quick to argue, but in actuality, Peko's the _only_ one who could've escape the beach house." I said.

"Oh, yeah? How did she do that?" Makoto asked.

Note to self: Makoto isn't as intelligent as usual when his life isn't in danger. "Her sword. There's a trick ninja used to use where they plant their sword into the ground and use the handguard as a stepstool. Obviously, Peko couldn't stab a bamboo sword into a tile floor, but all she would have to do is lean it against the wall to achieve the same affect. She is a slender girl, after all."

"You seem quite proud of you ability to recall the facts of these cases." Celeste noted. "What about the sword, then? How did she recover it?"

"She still has her sword bag. All it would take is tying it around the sword, and once she make it to the window, she can pull both herself and the sword up and out of the beach house. And as I said, Peko's the only one who could pull off a trick like this. Fuyuhiko's trying to protect her, but he basically just pointed out that Peko's the only one who could've done it."

* * *

"H-Hold on...! You're just making assumptions!" Fuyuhiko insisted. "Y-You don't have any proof! I won't accept this unless there's proof! Got it, you bastard!?"

"...It's fine." Peko finally said.

"Ah...?"

"I said it's fine... Saying anything more would just be an exercise in futility." Her bluntness left several of the students at a loss for words.

""Among flowers, the cherry blossoms. Among men, the samurai." I commend your decisiveness, at least..." Gundham said. "Very well. If you admit it, this ends now! Let's cast our votes!"

"Agreed... Hurry up and vote..." Peko said.

"Ah, hold on. Let me confirm one thing first." Chiaki interrupted.

"...Can it wait until after the voting?"

"This is important and it relates to the voting... It's about Peko's motive."

"...My motive?"

"In the end, you had no connections to the events depicted in "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case," right? Then... why did you kill Mahiru?"

"Hmph, so it's about that... Let's see... if I must answer that question... I must say... it was for the sake of justice..."

"Justice...?" Hajime repeated.

"In order to... protect the justice of this world. I do not sully my hands to satisfy personal grudges... There is only one reason I kill... For the sake of protecting justice!"

"Y-You... What are you saying...?" Nekomaru asked.

"Justice is what makes humans human... It's a virtue that human beings should be proud of. Justice is the eternal sun... and the enduring moon... The protective father... and the smiling mother..."

"H-Helloooo...? Earth to Peko...?" Ibuki said.

"If justice ever disappeared from this world... The world would immediately freeze, and people's smiles would vanish... I... will not allow that...!"

"I-It's fine... Just stop it...!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"Justice must always be there to guide us, to shine bright above our heads!"

"I-I'm telling you to stop it!" He ordered.

"So I must fight! I must continue to fight to protect justice!"

"Th-This is... Could she be...!?" Sonia gasped.

"As the light of justice shines upon my mask... I expose the hearts of malevolent evil..." With a dramatic air about her, Peko pulled out a Sun Witch Esper Ito mask identical to the one found at the crime scene, and put in on. "Justice Complete! The centre of justice that is pierced by justice! The lead star of justice that shines in the night sky! That would be me... Sparkling Justice! Now then... let's execute justice!"

"Wh-What the hell!?" Byakuya shouted.

"P-Peko... what are you doing!?" Nekomaru asked.

"I am Sparkling Justice... In the name of sparkling, shining justice, I have come to deliver justice!"

"Wh-What's going on?" Hiyoko asked. "What's this... chill...?"

Ibuki started foaming at the mouth. "...Peko... finally snapped...!"

"E-Everyone, please be careful!" Sonia warned. "Sparkling Justice is a serial killer who claims to be an ally of justice! Clad in her various hero masks, she is a serial killer who exclusively targets other criminals... She is supposed to be... but, huh?"

"An ally of justice...?" Akane repeated. "So that's why you're wearin' a mask!"

"This mask is the dividing line. Just like various idols... the sun is revered because it lies just beyond your grasp... Justice should also be the same!"

"I-I don't get it but... but this is... becoming... really crazy!" Nekomaru said.

"Th-This is turning out to be a surprising turn of events!" Monomi said, turning to Monokuma, who was snoring away. "H-Hey! Now's not the time for you to be sleeping!... Take a look, it's a killer!"

"Zzz... zzz... zzz... This again...?" He muttered.

"Huh? Sleep-talking?"

"...So what's your answer to my previous question?" Chiaki pressed. "Why did you kill Mahiru?"

"This world must always be bathed in the light of justice. I must not allow even on shadow... Evil must be eliminated immediately! No matter what, I must not overlook evil!"

"Evil...?" Hiyoko repeated. "Are you saying Mahiru is...?"

"If you knew about that incident... then you must've played the game, am I right?" Nagito asked.

"And because of that, I was able to find the killer's accomplice hiding on this island like a sewer rat..."

"Th-Then... the reason you killed Mahiru was..."

Peko struck a dramatic pose. "To protect justice, of course! In order to protect justice... I have become it's merciless sword! And... executed justice!"

"H-Holy crap...!" Ibuki shouted. "She's such a stereotypical psychopath!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! She's so gross!" Hiyoko screamed.

"...Peko... is this your true identity?" Hajime asked.

"My true identity...? Hmph, I have already forgotten who I am... It just shows my determination! My determination to protect by throwing away what's most important! I'm willing to become anybody to shower this world in justice!" Then suddenly, she broke out into maniacal laughter.

"Gh...! I can't stand this anymore!" Nekomaru growled. "Let's just end this farce already!"

"L-Let's go over this incident one more time and then... let's end this!" Hajime decided.

"The incident began this morning... when Mahiru spoke to Hiyoko. Mahiru most likely played "Twilight Syndrome Murder Case," the video game provided to us as the motive... She probably wanted to discuss it with someone else who also appeared in the game as a character. Hiyoko accepted Mahiru's invitation and they promised to have a more detailed conversation about it later. However... someone else overheard their exchange: the killer. The killer eavesdropped on their conversation and used their promise to devise a specific murder plan... By preparing a specific item, they planned to manipulate the two's actions.

"That item was the letters... They sent fake letters to both Mahiru and Hiyoko. The letter Mahiru received told her to come to the beach house at 2:30 p.m... And the letter Hiyoko received told her to come to the beach house at exactly 2:00 p.m. By providing different times, the killer was able to lure them to the beach house separately.

"Hiyoko totally trusted that letter, showed up at the beach house at 2:00 p.m. just like it said... and was drugged into unconsciousness by the killer lying in wait. After putting Hiyoko to sleep, the killer immediately hid her inside the closet... so they could frame her as the killer later.

"At 2:30 p.m., Mahiru arrived at the beach house. She was completely unaware that she'd been targeted for murder... Approaching her from behind, the killer struck the defenceless Mahiru with a specific weapon... The metal bat that was left at the scene of the crime. The bat was brought down onto the back of Mahiru's head, and with that, she took her last breath... According to Mikan's autopsy... Mahiru died instantly, so she probably never knew who killed her...

"With that, the killer achieved their goal of killing Mahiru and began to tamper with the crime scene. They dragged Mahiru's body so that it blocked the door leading to the road... Also... the mask found at the scene of the crime was something the killer personally left... I'm not really sure why... My guess is it's something similar to a calling card. That's how the crime scene we discovered was created. However, by moving Mahiru's body, the killer got blood splatter on them. Plus, the shower room had no water because it was out of order, so they couldn't wash it off... But the killer expected something like that to happen. Instead of the shower, the killer used something else to wash the blood off their body. They used plastic water bottles that were inside the beach house refrigerator. We can assume they carried the water bottles to the shower room before the sequence of events had happened... In place of showering, they washed the blood off their body with water bottles instead. However... they had no choice but to dispose of the empty bottles in the beach house's trash can. Littering is against the rules, and it would've taken too much time to throw them away somewhere else. After the killer washed off the blood, they hid in a specific spot inside the closet Hiyoko was in. The killer hid inside the surfboard case that they had already emptied beforehand.

"After some time had passed, the sleeping drug used on Hiyoko wore off and she woke up... I can imagine how badly Hiyoko must have panicked when she came out of the closet. I mean, she made plans to see Mahiru, who lay dead right in front of her... From the shock and panic of being considered a murder suspect... Hiyoko fled from the beach house. Because of that, she left footprints in the sand. Everything was a trap set by the killer to frame her. After Hiyoko left, the killer finally came out of the surfboard case... and placed a gummy that they brought with them to shift our suspicion toward Hiyoko. Ironically... placing that gummy is what helped clear our suspicion toward Hiyoko... Finally, the killer began preparing to escape from the beach house. They couldn't risk leaving their footprints in the sand, so they escaped the beach house using a different route... The small window in the shower room. However, that window is rather high up and can't be reached easily... Which is why the killer used... the bamboo sword they always carry with them. The killer took the bamboo sword out of its bag, tied the bag to the swords handle... and used the sword as a stepstool to reach the small window, while holding the sword bag in their hand. As long as they're able to reach the window, all they had to do was pull the bag to retrieve the sword. And so the killer left the beach house and appeared before the others as if nothing had happened. But.. their wet hair and swimsuit didn't dry right away. There also weren't any towels at the beach house... So when the killer met up with the others, they said they had been swimming for a while as an excuse...

"So how about it!? This is the truth behind the incident you caused! Isn't that right, Peko Pekoyama!?"

"I see... And what of it!?"

"She's, like, totally cool with it!" Akane shouted.

"I haven't done anything to be ashamed of!"

"What are you saying...? You killed Mahiru...!" Hiyoko argued.

"WRONG! I punished evil in the name of justice! That's no reason to condemn me!"

"Wh-Whatever! Let's hurry up and vote so we can freaking kill this weird, crazy bitch!"

"There's no way... you can kill me... Justice can never be killed! You should all know that as well!"

"Wh-What are you saying...!?" Gundham asked.

"To protect what's most important to you, you must be prepared to throw away something equally important. Understand!?"

"I-I don't get it!" Mikan cried. "I don't get it at all!"

"Then I shall be direct... Justice must carry on! In order to keep justice, to keep me, alive, you all must give up your lives!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?"

"A-Are you serious...?" Hajime asked.

"It's not serious... it's justice! If I fall here... who will combat the evils of this world!? Now... follow your hearts of justice that reside within you all... and save my life to protect justice...! Hurry and carry on justice!"

"You think we're going to sacrifice ourselves just to save you?" Byakuya asked.

"I-If we let Peko go... We're all gonna get killed..." Ibuki said.

"For the sake of grand justice, a few sacrifices are unavoidable!"

"A f-few sacrifices!?" Mikan repeated. "That's-!"

Unlike the shock from the rest of the students, Maki actually began to laugh. "Grand justice? What a joke. Any justice system that jumps straight to the death sentence is inherently flawed. As if literally everyone would be too afraid to commit a crime for fear of death. After Kazuichi's case, it should be abundantly clear that sometimes, shit happens. But I know you're not going to listen to me, so let me just leave you with this: I _will_ protect true justice. My justice. I've already told you my goal as the Ultimate Criminologist. Consider it my promise to the world. A world where your twisted version of justice has no place! Let's start the vote!"

"U-Um... However... b-before we do that..." Sonia started.

"Monokuma! The vote!" Nekomaru yelled. "Hurry up and let us vote alreadyyyyyyy!"

"Zzz... I'm awake!" The bear snapped to attention.

"Ah! He finally woke up!"

"I've heard your story! Well... I wasn't listening, but who cares!? Now then, please pull the lever in front of you and cast your vote. Who will be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? Puhuhu! Such heart-pounding excitement!"

Everyone grabbed the levers that popped out of the podiums in front of them, and pulled them to selected who they thought the blackened was. With that, her fate was sealed, and that was the end of their second class trial.

* * *

**...Or was it?**

**Yeah, since this case is exactly the same as canon, I decided to show team Albert's point of view for some of the more tedious discussions. Still, this chapter caps off at 10k words. Christ, now I know why DR2 introduced the "TRIAL SUSPEND" feature, their trials are insanely long.**

**Sorry to any Peko fans. It certainly would've been interesting for her to survive, but with the motive I had to work with, I could only see either her or Fuyuhiko being the killer. Firstly, I can't really think of anything Maki could do to prevent Peko from stealing the kill from Fuyuhiko, and secondly, I just really do not wanna kill Fuyuhiko. I know I said I'd be riding the despair train with you guys this time around, but he's my favourite character in the series. You can't just expect me to kill him off in the second trial, without any character development.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see the aftermath of the trial, and what Albert and friends are up to now.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Ah, man, remember the last time I posted a chapter exactly a week after the previous one? Because I sure don't. Yay, more jokes that people reading in the future won't be able to understand!**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Broken Tools**

...Or so they thought.

"Pardon me! Can we please have a little bit more time!?" Sonia interrupted. Everyone's attention turned to her. She repeated, "U-Um... Pardon me... Can we have a little bit more time...? Please let us continue our discussion... I cannot help but feel strange... Something about this is definitely strange..."

"Strange...? What do you mean?" Nekomaru asked. "There's no doubt that Peko is the killer!"

"That... is true... However..."

"As a serial killer enthusiast, you're wondering if Peko is really Sparkling Justice, am I right?" Nagito guessed. "Honestly, it felt strange to me too. I mean... There's a distinct difference between what we know about Sparkling Justice and Peko, right?"

"A d-distinct difference?" Mikan repeated.

"You know... Sonia described Sparkling Justice like this... She said that Sparkling Justice is apparently so elusive that there was only ever one journalist who managed to interview them, and that she had to translate it from their native language."

"That's right..." Hajime recalled. "According to what Sonia said... If she had to translate it... That means it wasn't originally written in Japanese, right?"

"Yes! The magazine I read was written in Spanish!" She confirmed. "So... Sparkling Justice's catchphrase was no doubt written in Spanish as well... Which means the journalist... and Sparkling Justice... are both...!"

"From Spain!?" Nekomaru gasped.

"WHAAATT!?" Ibuki screeched.

"Peko... you're not Sparkling Justice..." Hajime accused. "There's no way that's possible..."

"Or if you insist that you're Sparkling Justice, can you try saying that catchphrase in Spanish?" Chiaki suggested.

"...Would you be able to do that?" Hajime asked.

Peko was silent. From beneath the mask, her eyes drifted toward Sonia, who would no doubt be able to tell if she just spouted Spanish-sounding gibberish. "...Hmph... it appears that... the time has come for this mask to come off... However, that's perfectly fine... It's no longer necessary. And... even if you find out now, it's too late for you all to do anything about it. My duty... has already been finished. My duty as a tool... has already been completed in full." Her expression was solemn and peaceful as the mask came off.

"H-Huh...? Looks like... she's back to normal...?" Ibuki said.

"That mask has fulfilled its purpose... just as I have."

"What do you mean...?" Hajime asked. ""Fulfilled its purpose"... "Too late"... What are you getting at?"

"Now that you've already cast your votes... is what it means."

"H-Hey... Be clearer!" Nekomaru demanded. "We're asking you what your purpose was!"

"I have no purpose... I am just a mere tool..."

"T-Tool...? What do you mean?" Mikan asked.

"She called herself a tool... which means someone else used her, then?" Nagito guessed.

"Hmph, of course... A tool cannot do anything on its own."

"I see... I finally understand... Well, I did have a sneaking suspicion all along..."

"What... do you mean?" Hajime asked.

"I mean, besides Peko and Hiyoko, someone else was also at the beach house."

"S-Someone else!?" Hiyoko repeated.

"There _is _proof that establishes that fact. Try to remember it."

"Are you... talking about the body discovery announcement?" Hajime recalled.

"Yep, that's right. I mean, didn't Monokuma say so earlier? That announcement is made when at least three people discover a body... And in this particular case, the killer, Peko, is not one of those three. If that's the case, it would mean only Hiyoko and Ibuki discovered the body, but..."

"...I see, that leaves us one person short." Chiaki realized.

"So that means there was one more person in the beach house!" Nekomaru said.

Nagito added, "Plus, the fact that Monokuma tried to hide that fact from us by being flexible with his own rules... That's such a vital clue that it could alter the outcome of this trial. Like an accomplice, for example-"

"No, that's not it..." Peko corrected.

"...Huh? Am I wrong?"

"Yes. From your basic way of thinking about it, you are wrong. Didn't I tell you...? I'm just a tool. That means I'm just a simple tool to be used by that person."

"Therefore... that person would have the strongest motive out of anybody else here, right?"

"...Is it Fuyuhiko?" Hajime asked.

"I see... Now I finally see the connection..." Chiaki said. "The connection between the motive and the incident..."

"But even if it's the motive, it's just a game, right?" Akane asked. "There's no reason to believe it's even true. Would you call a game like that... a strong motive?"

"I didn't think it was necessary to confirm it if it didn't have anything to do with Mahiru's murder, but..." Hajime pulled out an envelope. "There's no doubt that game is based on actual events. That much is clear if you saw the ending prize. The photos awarded for beating the game are not actual in-game screenshots... They're all... actual photos... with the surrounding scenery cropped out... You... knew all along, Fuyuhiko... didn't you? You knew whether or not the first victim in the game was your little sister... right? Because... whoever beat the game first and received the ending prize... It was the envelope, right? The person who received the ending prize... It was you, wasn't it?"

"Tch...!"

"If you were shows a photo of your sister's dead body, you'd have no choice but to believe it..." Nagito said. "Even so, you wanted to deny the truth... that's why you sent those photos to Mahiru to confirm it."

"H-Hey... Why are we talking about Fuyuhiko?" Hiyoko asked. "Who cares...? Cause... Peko is the killer, right?"

"But... we already voted!" Mikan said.

"That's why I told you... you're all too late." Peko reminded. "As I said before, I exist as nothing more than a tool... I had no motive for killing Mahiru... No reason to kill... not even the will to kill... I was simply used as a tool. As long as I am a tool, I cannot defy my orders."

"H-Hey... what's goin' on?" Akane asked. "Can anyone gimme a simpler explanation...?"

"It means... I'm not the killer! The true killer, who used me as their weapon to kill Mahiru Koizumi, was Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu!"

"What!?" Gundham gasped.

"What the helllll!?" Akane shouted.

"I see..." Nagito said. "That's what you were aiming for all along."

"No... I have no aim. But my young master does. My young master planned this from the start."

"Y-Young master...?" Hajime repeated.

"That... is the truth of this case. I'm sure you realize it by now, but it's too late. You cannot undo the vote..."

"That's a problem..." Chiaki said. "If Peko's allegation holds up, that means our vote was incorrect."

"I-In that case, the person who gets to live is..." Ibuki slowly turned her head toward Fuyuhiko.

"Just... me...?"

"Th-That's nuts!" Hiyoko exclaimed. "No matter how you look at it, that's completely insane!"

"H-How... would Peko be a tool in the first place...?" Nekomaru asked. "Peko is a legitimate human being!"

"That's not for you to decide... It's for Monokuma... The votes have been cast! All we can do now is wait and see what Monokuma decides!"

"Wh-What the hell...?" Hajime muttered.

"Hmm... I'm in a bind, and what a bind it is..." Monokuma mused. "I guess for now... let's take a quick recess! We'll be back right after this commercial break!"

With that, their fates were sealed, and that was the true end of their second class trial.

* * *

"Ahem! Although there were some twists and turns along the way, the one who killed Mahiru Koizumi is..."

"H-Hold on a sec...!" Hajime interrupted.

"Okay, I'll wait. So sorry... I'm just hesitating!"

"That's ridiculous!" Byakuya argued. "No matter how you look at it, Peko's the killer!"

"...Why?" The Swordswoman countered.

"Why!? Because you're not a tool, you're a human with her own thoughts and initiative!"

"If I'm a human, then I'm not a tool... If that's what you're saying, you're wrong. Because... you just don't know. You just don't know that there are people who only exist to be tools... People such as myself."

"Only exist... to be tools...?" Hajime repeated.

"...What does she mean, Fuyuhiko?" Chiaki asked.

The Yakuza hesitated, but realized he had no choice when he saw all the eyes on him. "...Peko... and I... grew up together."

Maki nodded. "I thought as much. She's a weapon of the yakuza, I take it?"

"You figured it out from how I defended my young master?" Peko guessed.

"Pfft, give me some credit. I figure it out during our fun little sparring match. When I mentioned my ultimate goal, your reaction implied you had some criminal ties, and you even went out of your way to ask me about my opinion on the yakuza! This trial just proved a theory that was already in my head."

"Are you two... childhood friends then?" Sonia asked.

"No... it's completely different than that." Peko insisted. "Right after I was born and abandoned by my parents... the Kuzuryu clan took me in. They gave me a reason to exist. I am to fulfill my duty as my young master's property."

"...Property, you say?" Gundham repeated.

"It means she's... a hitman arranged by my clan to work directly under me..." Fuyuhiko explained.

"If my young master is attacked, I must defend him as his shield... If he intends to kill, I must be his sword... That is my only reason for living. Before I am human... I am my young master's tool, first and foremost. Until this body of mine can no longer move... I shall fulfill my duty until the very end...!"

"But that is... You are wrong... You are not a tool, Peko." Sonia argued. "Because... if you are a tool... Then what was all that time... we spent together!?"

"...Nothing."

"Huh!?"

"I was ordered by my young master to behave... Just as I was ordered to... interact with you all..."

"Wha-!?"

""Our professional relationship doesn't exist on this island. We're just fellow high school students now..." Right after we arrived on this island, that is what my young master ordered me to do."

"That is why you were hiding your relationship, you mean?" Gundham asked.

"It's not as if... that started the moment we arrived on this island... Before that, my young master has always told me to hide our relationship. My young master loathes relying on his household's power... He even hates me, the tool given to him by his household... No matter what I am told, I am nothing but a tool for killing... If my young master intends to kill, it is only natural for me to act as his tool."

Hajime came to a realization. "Then... the one who tried to kill Mahiru wasn't you, it was... Fuyuhiko?"

"I-It is what it is..." The Yakuza admitted. "When I thought I beat that game... I was suddenly given these photographs... Dammit... I don't understand... Why is my sister... in these photos...? And she's... she's covered in blood! What does it mean!? Why can't I remember!? How come I don't even know if my sister is dead!?"

"You... tried to confirm it with Mahiru... and that's why you wanted to talk to her..." Chiaki guessed.

"Yeah... I sent her the photo because I wanted to make sure she'd respond... But she never replied back to me... Not only that... she started avoiding me, too..."

"I'm pretty sure... Mahiru was confused, too..." Mikan guessed. "I mean, we all were... Before anyone played the game, we didn't even know this incident had happened... That's why, even if we were told that we're connected to it, there's no way we could accept it."

"You know, when Mahiru spoke to Ibuki, she mentioned something about this!" The Musician added. "She mentioned something about "making amends," and wanted to discuss it with everyone! It sounded so serious, I even offered to cancel my beach plans, but she told me it was fine..."

"She... wanted to discuss how to make amends..." Chiaki said. "But Hiyoko was the only one who accepted her invitation..."

"I should have gone too..." Ibuki muttered.

"But it was rather convenient for you, wasn't it, Fuyuhiko?" Nagito asked. "If you could make use of their plan to meet each other alone, you could easily lure Mahiru into a trap, right? By calling both of them to the beach house, you were able to pin the blame on Hiyoko."

"Seriously, what the heck!?" Hiyoko snapped.

""An eye for an eye"... That's the world I live in. My little sister was murdered... If the reason that happened was because of some person here... I have no choice but to kill that person on my sister's behalf, right!?"

"And so... my young master thought of a plan and executed it." Peko added.

"I wanted to use a bat as the murder weapon because in the game, that's what was used to kill Girl E. For revenge... clubbing the person to death the same way my sister was killed just seemed to make sense... Even if it ruined my disguise, it was the only thing I could do to avenge my sister..."

"So that is why you... killed Mahiru with the bat?" Sonia asked.

"But still... I believed her up till the very last minute. That that game was just a work of fiction... But even so... that bitch! She scolded me for taking revenge. Said that no one had the right to judge others for their crimes. Want me to be honest...? This whole time... I was acting like a coward... Even after I called over Mahiru... I was still trying to find an excuse to not go through with the plan... But... after she said that to me... that all went out the window...! I got really pissed off and grabbed the metal bat that I hid under the bench... But at that moment..."

"Young Master called for me and made me killed Mahiru."

"...Huh?"

"Y-You... Are you saying that you killed because you were ordered to?" Nekomaru asked.

"A tool is not defined by its will, but by its actions."

"I-I don't get this at all!" Ibuki cried.

"Well, of course you don't understand." Monokuma said. "Cuz humans are completely different from one another. Everyone's birthplace and upbringing is different. It's obviously impossible for them to understand each other. So everyone just pretends to understand... and pretends to be understood."

"Hey... you're too annoying. Can you just be quiet?" Chiaki asked.

"Okie-dokie, I'll be quiet."

"Afterward... just as my young master planned, I proceeded to tamper with the scene of the crime. However, I also considered the possibility of being found out... So in order to get you guys to make the wrong choice, I decided to make use of that serial killer story."

"You insisted that you were Sparkling Justice in order to make us hasten our votes...?" Sonia asked.

"So... we fell for it..." Nekomaru grumbled. "We fell for her trick all along...!"

"That's right... You guys have made the wrong decision. You voted me, a mere tool, as the killer, unaware that my young master was the true killer..."

"Are you sure about that?" Maki asked. "It seems a bit early to decide that, huh?"

"No, it should be decided already. Isn't that right, Monokuma?"

"I'll admit, all this talk about Peko being a tool sounds very persuasive. When you approach it from various angles, it makes sense that Fuyuhiko is actually the true killer..."

"I see..." Nagito muttered. "So for Peko, Fuyuhiko himself is your true hope, then? In his behalf, you killed Mahiru... and now you're trying to sacrifice us so that you can protect him. You would only go that far because he's your one and only hope..."

"Wrong... I have no hope. I am just..."

"A tool? Well, even if we ask her, she'll probably just play dumb anyway... So I'm going to ask someone else. Hey Fuyuhiko, what do you think?"

"A-About what...!?"

"Is Peko just a tool to you? Using that tool... Surviving by sacrificing Peko and the rest of us... Is that your hope!?"

"...Tch!"

"H-Hold on...!" Peko interrupted. "What's the use of asking something like that!?"

"Huh? You seem distressed." Nagito said. "A mere tool doesn't panic like that, right? Peko... be honest... Are you trying to protect Fuyuhiko of your own free will?" The Swordswoman took a step back, unable to answer.

"Fuyuhiko... Can you tell me the truth?" Chiaki asked. "The fact that she killed on your behalf, the fact that she lied to us by acting like the killer... Are those all things you ordered her to do? Is that the truth?"

"I... I..."

"...Fuyuhiko?" Sonia pressed.

"I know you hardly care for us, but I at least thought you'd have some reservations over killing thirteen other people." Byakuya said.

"I...! I... I..."

"Young master... You just have to tell the truth. I was only following your orders... You just have to tell them that."

"I... I..."

"Fuyuhiko..." Hajime started. "You... mentioned this before but... You said you'd have no problem sacrificing everyone if it guaranteed your survival. You don't really feel that way, right? You're not that kind of person. Because... if you were... You wouldn't be hesitating... like you are now, right?"

"Tch...!"

"There's no need to hesitate, young master!" Peko insisted. "Please just tell them the truth! Young master, you were the one who ordered me... I just did as I was told because I am just a tool!"

"Fuyuhiko... this could be considered your ultimate choice." Nagito said. "Regardless, either way you'll still lose Peko but... If you insist you're the killer just as she said, you can sacrifice us and survive alone. Or... would you rather reject Peko and fight alongside us against despair? Which one will be your hope? Let's hear what you have to say."

"I... I...!"

"How about it, Fuyuhiko?" Maki finally asked. "It's now or never. Please, just tell us the truth."

The boy stared at her for a moment before his face fell to the floor. Squeezing his eyes shut, he said, "...I'm sorry, Peko... I guess... I couldn't go through with it after all..."

"Y-Young master!"

"Cause... if that's actually what I have to do to survive... I'd just feel ashamed of myself. It'd mean I can't live without depending on something... I'd just feel disgusted with myself... And... if I admit that... It means... you really are just a tool to me. How many times did I tell you...? I don't want a tool given to me by the Kuzuryu clan..."

"Young master...!"

"Ohhh myyyyy, so this is how it turned out!" Monokuma interrupted. "And here I thought it'd be more brutal and heartless... Man, how disappointing! Which means... everything happened thanks to her meddlesome actions! There's no way a human _that _meddlesome could ever be considered a tool!"

"Monokuma... You knew all along, didn't you?" Nagito asked. "You knew about what Peko and Fuyuhiko discussed. Well, it's obvious now... I mean, that's why you have surveillance cameras. You were just having fun, huh?"

"Maaaan! Even if it was an act of desperation, Peko's claim was surprisingly interesting! Puhuhu, you're actually the first to try to influence the outcome of the trial like that... But tooooooo bad! You're definitely the killer! Peko, the tool with a heart, is the killer!"

"Peko... I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill your request." Fuyuhiko apologized. "Even though... you did all that to provide me a chance to survive... But I..."

"...I had a feeling it would turn out like this." Peko admitted.

"...Huh?"

"Young master... You have a kind heart, despite being a yakuza... That's why... you question your position and constantly worry about it... For you to sacrifice someone else just to escape by yourself... I believe you wouldn't accept that so easily. We've been together ever since we were children. Even a tool would understand that."

"Th-Then... why...?"

"Even so... I wanted you to escape. I wanted to protect you..."

"Peko..."

"I am terribly sorry I will not be able to serve by your side until the very end... young master... Good bye. And... I'm sorry for what I've done to you all, too. It may be a selfish request but... please forgive my young master. And please do not cause a senseless killing such as this... ever again...!"

"O-Of course..." Hajime agreed.

"Ngh... Peko...!" Mikan sobbed.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, Peko." Maki added.

"That will do, Monokuma... Why don't you start it already? Just so you know, I will never feel despair. As long as I am a tool... I am fully prepared to die."

"Puhuhu, soooo cool! But will you be able to maintain that composure until the very end? People who act as proud as you always shed tears of despair in the end. Noooow then! Let's begin!"

"...Young master Fuyuhiko... Please permit me to make one final selfish request..."

"Didn't I tell you... not to call me "young master"...?"

"I want you to remember... the tool, Peko Pekoyama, who used to stand beside you... I would like it if you remembered that... That's it."

While his voice was quiet, it was almost seething. "How many times... do you have to keep... I don't need any tools..."

"You... did... say that..."

"Then let's begin!" Monokuma cheered. "The punishment time brimming with despair!"

"Jeez... Why don't you get it yet...?" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"This time, for the Ultimate Swordswoman, Peko Pekoyama..."

"You stayed by my side... all this time... Why don't you get it...?"

"I've prepared a special punishment for you!"

"I never needed... a sword... or a shield... I never needed... a tool... S-So... You didn't... need to become a tool..."

"Let's give it everything we've got!"

"You just... you just needed to be yourself... I... I never wanted a tool! I just wanted you! Only you!"

"...Young master?"

"Wh-Why!? Why couldn't you understand!? We've always been together, ever since we were kids!"

"Let's go! It's... PUNISHMENT TIIIIIME!"

"P-Please Peko! Don't go...!" He begged, tears streaming down his face. "I need you! Don't leave me!"

"Young... master?" Before she could stop herself, Peko began to cry as well. "...Young master!"

Before she could cry any louder, a metal collar flew out from the corridor behind her and locked shut around her neck, silencing her. Chains followed, wrapping around her body before she was pulled into the darkness beyond.

Unlike everyone else, who watched in stunned silence, Fuyuhiko pushed his way through the crowd of students and sprinted down the corridor.

The monitors in the trial room lit up, showing Peko standing atop a high cliff, a katana in her hands, the only sound being the crashing waves beneath. In seconds, she was surrounded by puppet soldiers. Beyond the army, Fuyuhiko could be seen trying to force his way through to Peko. The camera then cut to Monokuma, holding a large marionette with Peko's face on it. With a flick of his wrist, the marionette held out it's hand, and Peko brandished her sword similarly. Monokuma chuckled to himself as the speakers announced:

**"One-Woman-Army!" **Monokuma swung the marionette, and Peko began to fly toward a nearby soldier. Right before she would have been cut down, she grabbed her blade and cut through the enemy. Monokuma continued forcing her through the crowd of soldiers, forcing her to cut through multiple every second.

With the enemies distracted, Fuyuhiko took the opportunity to rush through the crowd. When he made it to the centre of the battlefield, he found himself just behind Peko. Before he could announce his presence, a fallen enemy between them suddenly jumped back up. Instinctively, Peko turned and swung her blade in a wide, upward arc. Her blade cut clean through the soldier... and through Fuyuhiko's right eye.

From the shock of the pain, the boy collapsed right in the middle of the battlefield. Peko cast her sword aside and knelt down to him, cradling him in her arms. One of the soldiers approached from behind and stabbed through her back. The others joined in, stabbing through Peko and dying the field crimson as she shielded her young master from them. With that, the video feed cut to black as all the classmates stood horrified of what they witnessed.

"This cannot be! Even Fuyuhiko!?" Sonia cried.

"This is bad... Th-This shouldn't be allowed..." Ibuki muttered as her mouth foamed. "People dying so easily... Falling like dominoes..."

"Y-You bastard... What is this!?" Nekomaru roared.

"Th-This can't be..." Hajime said. "This... is a lie right...? Pekoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Fuyuhikoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

"For heaven's sake... This is just the worst..." Nagito lamented. "Jeez, what a waste... This conclusion... what a waste... This is why... she should've just discussed it with me... It was supposed to be a clash between two hopes, but it was crushed into something so unpalatable..."

"You... you're still talking about that?" Chiaki asked.

"The hell's wrong with you!?" Akane scolded. "Aren't you pissed that two of your friends got killed!?"

"I am pissed... and I even feel sad and hopeless... But still... It's going to be all right! This despair is worthless! Even this despair... is just a ladder to a bright, shining future that awaits us! The higher the ladder, the brighter we can shine... That is the unmistakable truth!"

"Calling me a ladder, huh..." Monokuma growled. "You say some pretty interesting things. Puhuhu... In a way, your misguided thoughts of what hope should be... remind me of _him_."

"I don't really understand... what you're saying..." Nagito admitted. "Anyway, I shall make a declaration! We will definitely destroy you! Haha, the hopes of all the Ultimates here will definitely, completely, utterly destroy you. There won't even be a strand of cotton left when we're done with you... That's your future."

"H-How much longer... are you planning to say such stupid things...?" Hajime asked. "Don't you understand!? Even Fuyuhiko died, you know!?"

"...Not yet..." Monomi said. "He's... still alive!"

"What!?" Nekomaru gasped.

"Everyone! Fuyuhiko is still alive!"

"A-Are you serious!?" Akane asked.

"Fuyuhikoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Nekomaru roared as he charged down the corridor. Frantically, everyone followed.

The students found themselves standing on the cliff that Peko had her battle. Her body, as well as the wooden soldiers, were nowhere to be seen. There was only Fuyuhiko, covered in both his own and Peko's blood. As most of the student made their way to his side, he tried to take a breath, but only coughed more blood.

"H-He's still... he's still breathing!" Mikan announced.

"I-Is he gonna be okay!?" Hajime asked.

"We need to stop the bleeding." Maki said calmly.

"I-I'm trying!" Mikan cried. "But his blood! He won't stop bleeding out! His pulse... is getting weaker...!" It was true, putting pressure on any of Fuyuhiko's wounds just increased the rate at which the others bled. There seemed to be no way to stop it.

"God damn it." Maki quickly removed her lab coat and started tearing it into strips to be used as bandages. Some of the other students followed suit, gathering any excess fabrics they could, but it only helped slightly.

"Well, serves him right." Monokuma decided, approaching the crowd from behind. "Were you filled with hope at the thought of saving her yourself? That's why you ended up like that."

"Wh-What are you so laid back about!?" Monomi snapped. "You need to hurry up and save him!"

"Huh!? A surprise order!? Why do I have to burn my precious calories just to save some yakuza scum!?"

"It's your duty to save him!"

"...Duty?"

"Cuz... it's written in the school trip rules! If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they _alone _will be executed. If only the blackened gets executed, then Fuyuhiko shouldn't be allowed to be executed...! W-Well... if I could... I would do something about it right now... But since my magic stick was taken away... I'm practically powerless... But you, you should be able to do it!"

Monokuma stared at her for a few seconds. "...Jeez! I guess I have no choice! Well, there's no way I can violate a rule, even if it's me... Fine then! I'll save him!"

"R-Really!?" Hajime asked.

"Heh... I was actually gonna do that all along! So I've already prepared for this!"

"Huh? Prepared?" Monomi asked. Suddenly, everyone could hear a siren in the distance. It slowly grew closer and closer. Then, out of nowhere, an ambulance showed up. "Ha-wa-wa!? An ambulance!?"

A Monokuma climbed out of the ambulance, wearing a stethoscope. "Just leave it to me: Doctor Killgood!"

"Doctor Killgood!? You've already killed your patients!"

Two other Monokumas came out the back, carrying a stretcher. Doctor Killgood started ordering them around. "We gotta get this patient to the Monokuma Hospital ER and get him under 24 hour observation, stat! Soooo I'll see you later!" With that, Monokuma, Fuyuhiko, and the ambulance all disappeared.

The students tried to calm themselves, but it was hardly a relief.

"U-Um... is it really gonna be okay...? To leave this to Monokuma...?" Mikan asked.

"It can't be helped... it's not like there was any other way...!" Akane said.

"He's gonna be fine." Chiaki assured them. "He's probably gonna get better and come back to us again."

"Y-You're right..." Ibuki agreed. "He's definitely gonna come back and talk a lot of smack as if nothing happened...!"

"Then... all we can do is wait...!" Nekomaru decided.

"Why do we have to wait for him...?" Hiyoko groaned. "I mean... he caused Mahiru's death, you know...?"

"H-However... we must put that aside since Peko has already been punished..." Sonia said. "O-Or else we will not be able to advance forward...!"

"There are no second chances in life..." Gundham agreed. "We cannot return to what has already transpired... There is no other way than to move forward, like an arrow of light piercing through the darkness..."

Maki nodded, and slowly said, "Elapsam semel occasionem non ipse potest Iuppiter reprehendere. Not even Jupiter can find a lost opportunity."

Hiyoko obviously didn't like what they were telling her, but for once, she didn't speak up.

"I guess... Thing's aren't as excitin' if a shit stirrer like him ain't around!" Akane said.

With pained expressions, all the students left the cliff and returned to the trial room. All but two.

"I'm surprised you helped the way you did." Byakuya remarked. "I'd have thought you'd be the first to let him die, given your open distaste for yakuza."

"I surprised myself, too." Maki said. "I guess when I saw all that blood, instinct took over."

"Well, those are good instincts to have."

They stood in silence for a few seconds.

"Did you notice how odd it is?" Maki asked. "Judging from the length of the elevator ride, we should be miles upon miles below sea level. And yet, just down the hall, we're on a cliff with a wide open sea and sky."

"Right. And assuming Kazuichi's execution was just as close to us, that means there's a desert just across the trial room from here. But... how is this possible?"

Maki shrugged. "Monokuma, or whoever's controlling him, seems to be a master of tricks and deception. Perhaps there's some sort of illusion, a trick of the eye we're not seeing. Either that, or he really does have reality-bending powers like he and Monomi claim."

"That can't be. There's no way anything like that can exist."

"Regardless, I think we should keep this from the others. None of them seemed to notice, due to the stress of Fuyuhiko's situation. If we brought it up, it would just add more confusion."

"...I suppose so. Speaking of, we should probably get moving. We don't want to keep everyone waiting on the elevator."

* * *

I knew, of course, what the execution was going to be like. Still, as always, it was much more horrifying in person. Well, technically, I suppose I didn't see it "in person," since I was watching it unfold on a monitor, just like in the original game, but... you know.

For some reason, this time around, Peko's dialogue stuck with me. Her talk of being a "tool," only existing to "fulfill her purpose." When I first played DR2, I brushed it off as a modern take on samurai. Obviously, someone would need to be seriously messed in the head to consider themselves a tool. But nowadays... I think I get it, somewhat. Having a purpose bigger than yourself. I'm not ready to die or kill just to fulfill that goal, but if worse comes to worst, there are quite a few stops I'd be willing to pull out.

"So, you considered that fun, back home?" Celeste asked me suddenly.

I shrugged. "Back then, yeah. Though it wasn't quite a "happy and cheery" fun, more like an intense "let's put my mind to the test" fun. Even when I only knew you guys as characters, I still cared about you, y'know."

"So part of the fun also comes from seeing who survives until the end?"

"I suppose so. Why do you ask?"

She didn't answer. I shrugged again and slowly stood up, stretching my legs and back, before rubbing my forehead. There was an odd sensation in my head. The sound of static. My vision blurred. I shook my head.

Makoto kicked off the wall and made his way over to me. He stared at one of the monitors, the one displaying the statuses for each of the participants in the program. Four of them were bright red, with text that read CRITICAL. Of course, just because we knew their condition didn't mean we could treat them. There were no physical injuries, and even if we had one we couldn't get a neurologist to look at them. That would require us to remove them from the game, which would just guarantee that they'd never recover.

"Four down." He said. "That's over a quarter of the participants."

It was basic math. Minus Alter Ego Chiaki and Maki, there were 15 participants. "They'll be okay. We just have to have hope."

He turned toward me, nodding at what I said before gesturing to the door. "Okay, Al, you promised. It's time for bed."

"...Yeah, alright, mom." I said with a smirk as I moved to follow him out of the room. However, my legs felt weak, and my head only got lighter. I fell forward, on my hands and knees. I think Makoto or Chihiro shouted my name, but I couldn't hear. The static took over. I gripped both sides of my head. It felt like it was going to split open.

_...A_b_rt... _Wh-What is this...!? _..._r_gh_..._ Stop it... Stop, please! _...I n_e_... to t_l_ yo_... _Get out! _...M_ki _ug_mi... j_m_er, l_ke y_u..._

"_Get out of my head_!" I screamed.

"Al, it's not real!" Makoto shouted above the static. "It's just a hallucination!"

I wanted to yell something like, "It seems pretty fucking real to me!" but I couldn't muster the sarcasm. I fought the fatigue and pain and looked up at Makoto, hoping that the expression on my face will convey this message to him. However, beside him, I saw a silhouette standing there, staring down at me. Even in the dim light of the observation room, I couldn't make out any colours on this figure other than pitch black. A chill went down my spine.

I had heard of the "shadow people" phenomenon, it's one of the most common hallucinations to occur during sleep deprivation or sleep paralysis. But this was the first time in the last four, almost five, days that I'd seen one. And usually, they just appear in the corner of your vision, disappearing when you turn to look. I was staring directly at this... thing, and it continued to stare back, an endless abyss of despair.

I slowly forced myself to stand up. "I'm not crazy, this is real... It has to be, it's too vivid...!"

Makoto looked past me and nodded. I felt a stab in my neck. I realized I had forgotten there were others in this room. Turning slowly, I could make out Celeste behind me, holding a needle against my flesh. She emptied its contents into me.

"Sorry, Al." She said. "Pleasant dreams."

I fell to the floor, drooling. A tranquilizer. Makoto gave Celeste a tranquilizer. I looked up at them. The static had stopped, and the shadow person made a gesture of frustration as it faded away. Celeste and Makoto stared down at me.

"Sweet dreams, Al." He said unhappily. "Tranqs reduce REM sleep, and with no dreams, no nightmares. Hopefully this will help you."

I tried to nod, not in a "Yeah, this is helpful." way, but a "Nice thinking. Clever." way. I couldn't quite nod, though, my face just brushed against the carpeted floor as my drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

**We're moving on to chapter 3 territory, now! Fuyuhiko will get some development just before what is commonly believed to be the worst case in the series. Can't wait to try my hand at improving that... Also, Albert's having hallucinations now! That's fun! Hopefully it goes away when he wakes up. Also, I'll try to continue having him interact with the others, even if I am planning on focusing more on the virtual group from here on out. If you didn't figure it out yet, the reason I chose the events of chapter 2 as the ones to focus on Al and friends during is _because_ I knew the murder case would be the same going in, and therefore saw no reason to focus on little details. Hopefully I can balance it out more from here on out.**

**Survivors-13: Maki Yugami, Hajime Hinata, Akane Owari, Byakuya Togami, Chiaki Nanami, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Gundham Tanaka, Hiyoko Saionji, Ibuki Mioda, Mikan Tsumiki, Nagito Komaeda, Nekomaru Nidai, Sonia Nevermind**

**Victims-4: Teruteru Hanamura, Kazuichi Soda, Mahiru Koizumi, Peko Pekoyama**

**In the next chapter, the killing game shall continue, and we'll explore the next island.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Nothing too crazy happens this chapter, but I still consider it important. The moments focused on in this one are mostly the same as they happen in the game, but I decided to include them since Maki's (and ****to a lesser extent, ****Twogami's) reactions provide a little difference, and I can use the opportunity to show some relationship development for her.**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Moving Forward**

Hiyoko awoke early that morning. She had something that she felt she needed to do, but it would take a while and a lot of hard work. Still, she did her best, and by the end of it she was quite proud in her piece, even if it didn't quite look how she envisioned it in her head.

The sun had rose only a half ago, but she saw no need to head back to bed to try to get some sleep. The others would be arriving at the dining hall shortly. Seeing nothing else to do, she turned to head toward one of the tables to take a seat. However, when she turned, she saw someone heading up the stairs.

"Wah! Hajime!? You're already here!?"

"Hiyoko, you're the only one here..." He noted. "What are you acting so anxious about?"

"I-I'm not acting anxious... I-I just happened to be awake by coincidence, so... I just came here early."

"I-I see..." His attention was caught by what was set up in the corner of the room. "...Wh-What the heck is this!?"

A panel filled with flowers was framed by skulls, bones and candles, giving off an atmosphere of death. In the centre was a pinboard covered in photos taken by Mahiru.

Hiyoko cleared her throat and did her best acting. "Woooooooow, what's this!? What an adoooooorable decoration! I don't know who did it but they must've spent so much time and effort doing their best to make it. Kyahahaha! Mahiru's gonna be happy, too! I don't know who did this but we should be grateful to them! Riiiiiight?"

"...Hey Hiyoko... did you-" Hajime's inquiry was interrupted when more students arrived.

"Ah... good morning." Mikan greeted. "It's so rare to run into you two here. Hm-hm-hm, what are you looking at?" She moved closer and stared at the piece. "...Huh. KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! What are these... these horrifying photos!?"

"Yo! What happened!?" Nekomaru shouted as he arrived.

"What's up, what's up!? Is it a brawl!?" Akane asked, right behind him.

"What is going on here?" Byakuya asked as he joined them. "It's too early in the morning for this ruckus."

"This... this is baaaaad...!" Mikan whined. "P-Please... take a look at th-those photos!"

"Photos?" His eyes followed hers. "...Woah, that is... an interesting display piece..."

"Muhhh...! This is clearly an insult against Mahiru...!" Nekomaru decided.

"I dunno who the hell did this crap... but they've got a lotta nerve..." Akane growled.

Mikan looked pale as she backed away. "Haaaaah... this is too much... To actually treat... Mahiru's photos... like this...!"

Hiyoko was shocked, this wasn't the reaction she was expecting. Before she could say anything, Hajime jumped to her defence. "Ah, everyone... I understand how you feel, but it's probably..."

"Good morning, everyone!" Sonia greeted.

"Good mongrel!" Ibuki added before opening her eyes. "Kyyyaaaaaa! What's with those nasty photos!? They're giving off a crazy huge ominous aura!"

"There is no excuse... this is too terrible!" Sonia agreed. "How could someone be capable of such a heartless trick...!"

"No, seriously... it's just..." But Hajime was again interrupted, this time by Hiyoko.

"...I know, right? Seriously, it's just the worst. Jeez, I wonder who the hell did it."

"...Huh?"

"You're right... There's no way... Mahiru will be happy... with this..."

"She won't just be unhappy..." Nekomaru said. "I'm sure she'll be so angry she'll cry tears of blood...!"

"Regardless, we can search for the culprit later." Byakuya decided. "Right now, let's take this down."

"S-Seriously... this is..." But Hajime was interrupted yet again when Maki and Chiaki walked in.

"Tears of blood?" Maki repeated. "Do I even want to know what we're talking about?" She paused when she saw the piece. "...Huh. Interesting. A little macabre, sure, but... I think I like it. It's a nice reminder."

Everyone gave her an odd look. Chiaki nodded. "Yeah. Someone took their time to make this memorial so we can mourn for Mahiru. You can't take it down."

"...Huh? Mourn Mahiru?" Mikan repeated.

"Well, yeah, I mean..." Maki paused. "I'm not exactly an art critic, but focus a little more on the meaning behind it, rather than how it looks. It was just made a little clumsily."

"Despite their clumsiness, I'm sure whoever made this probably did their very best..." Chiaki agreed. "If you look at it carefully... don't you feel like you can sense their feelings? Mahiru's not alone... She'll be with us now and forever... This... was probably made with those feelings... So I definitely think... Yep. It's a nice decoration."

"After hearin' you say that... I'm startin' to feel the same thing!" Akane said.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I don't really wanna take it down!" Hiyoko cried out.

"...Huh? U-Um... Was the person who made this...?" Sonia asked.

"M-Mahiru... was really... really nice... She politely... taught me... how to tie my kimono..."

"She was... really good at taking care of others..." Mikan agreed.

"Mahiru's... probably lonely by herself... So I wanted to tell her... that she's not alone... even if she's in heaven..."

Tears streamed down Nekomaru's face. "Guuuuuuuuuh... Hiyoko... y-youuuuuu...!"

"I-I did... wanna... make it look better... but... But... unless I'm dancing... I'm so clumsy at whatever I do... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I'm sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy!"

"I-I am terribly sorry..." Sonia apologized. "I spoke out of turn without considering your feelings at all...!"

"Sorry Hiyoko." Akane said simply.

"I-I'm sorrryyy...!" Mikan apologized.

"Right, of course." Byakuya agreed. "Upon closer inspection, I can see you put a lot of effort into this."

"Let's keep it around until we get off this island." Maki suggested.

"...No, it should come with us when we get off this island, too." Sonia added. "It would be a waste to leave behind... such wonderful photos."

Hiyoko sobbed a few more times before asking, "...So we're not gonna take it down?"

"Of course not! We'd never do that!" Nekomaru assured her.

"Weren't you guys the ones who started shoutin' that?" Akane asked.

After a moment, Hiyoko wiped her face and smiled. "Fine, then I'll forgive you all! Except Mikan, of course!"

"Wh-Why!? Why are you so strict with me!?"

"Maaaaan, it's so unexpected..." Ibuki remarked. "I really can't imagine Hiyoko being so diligent and earnest about something!"

"Wh-Who... cares about that...?" She sputtered.

"...Hiyoko has a very kind heart." Sonia said.

"K-Kind, oh c'mon... It's not like that... Jeez! Stop it already!"

"Haha, you don't hafta be embarrassed!" Akane said.

"Seriously, stop it! Don't tease me!"

"Awww... Hiyoko is so adorable when she's embarrassed!" Mikan teased.

"Shut the fuck up you pig-faced troll!"

"Eeeeek! Why only me!?"

"Guess I should've seen that coming." Maki said with a sigh. "I guess we can go with "Kind, to an extent"."

"It's very... like you guys to settle things like this." Chiaki said.

"...Hm? Really?" Hajime asked. "It feels like we made such a huge fuss about it and _finally _settled things."

"...That's just like you guys. Little by little, we're trying to understand and find the good in each other. That's the reason why we can move forward... without feeling despair toward our situation... Yeah, you guys are all splendid."

Gundham chose that moment to walk in. "Hmph, I have arrived. Apologies for the wai- What the...!? What is this object that is releasing such a foul aura!? Hm, a malice clings to Mahiru even after her death... We'll be sucked in if we look directly at it!"

Nagito arrived just behind Gundham, and nodded in agreement. "...Wow, this is a... very hopeless object. It doesn't belong in a hopeful place like this at all... It's absolutely brimming with malice... Let's just hurry up and destroy it. I can't stand to look at it for even one more second."

"Stand aside!" Gundham ordered the crowd. "I shall shatter this barbaric, blasphemous false idol to pieces!"

"...Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Just as quickly as she stopped, Hiyoko began crying out once more.

Hajime turned to Chiaki. "Now that those two are here, do you still think we're splendid?"

"Hmm... Looks like it's gonna take a little more time."

"...I completely agree."

"I wouldn't hold your breath. We're more disorganized then a train wreck." Maki remarked as she stared upon the ensuing chaos. "Still... I guess we're the only ones crazy enough to accept each other. I guess that's as good as we're going to get."

* * *

Eventually, the chaos died down, and everyone settled in for a quiet breakfast. It was clear nobody wanted to talk about what had transpired the previous day. And so they sat in silence.

This silence was interrupted quite awkwardly when Akane leaned back in her seat and announced, "Phew, I'm stuffed! I can't eat another damn bite!"

"My word..." Byakuya muttered. "You have no sense of pacing, do you? Aren't you worried about choking or something?"

"I never get worried!"

"You don't!?" Ibuki asked. "Wait, what about Fuyuhiko!?"

"Is he really all right?" Sonia wondered. "I was so, so concerned... I could not sleep at all last night..."

"Plus, if his fate is in Monokuma's paws, I'm even more concerned...!" Nekomaru added.

"Ugh... If I only could've tended to his wounds somehow..." Mikan cried. "I wish I wasn't so useless..."

"...Well, I don't think you guys should worry about it..." Akane said.

"I suppose you're right. Even if unintentionally..." Maki said. "Worrying over something out of our hands won't do us any good. We'll just have to, and I want it on record that even _I_ can't believe I'm saying this, put our faith in Monokuma for now."

"Right! So with that in mind... Leave the rest to me! I'll question Monokuma and avenge Fuyuhiko!"

"...Actually, I take it back. I don't think we're on the same page, after all."

"What vengeance?" Nekomaru asked. "You just want to test your skill...!"

"Well... yeah!"

"Haha... She flat out admitted it..." Nagito said.

"Okay everyone!" Monomi called out, appearing out of nowhere. "Can I have your attention please!?"

"Oh it's you, Monomi... what do you want...?" Nekomaru muttered.

"Man, the fun mood's over now thanks to you." Hiyoko shot.

"Huuuuh? Did I just ruin the mood!? Jeez, don't treat me so harshly! I did my very best today too!"

"...Hey, who the hell're you?" Akane asked. "We're talkin' about somethin' important, so go away."

"Okay, I'm sorry... Wait, nooooo! I definitely don't wanna be treated like an outsider!"

"Just what do you want?" Hajime asked. "What do you mean by, "I did my very best"?"

"Ah, you finally asked me! Well, once again I've defeated another Monobeast! How do you like me now? I worked hard, didn't I!?"

Nagito realized it first. "If you've defeated a Monobeast, that means..."

"That's right! You are now able to visit yet another island!... So let's all live happily ever after with each other this time, okay? No more getting tricked by Monokuma... No more thinking about leaving this island... Let's all live together peacefully as best friends!" She paused, and stared at the faces of her students. "Huh? Are you guys thinking about leaving the island, even though I just said not to!?"

"More importantly, Monomi, what happened to Fuyuhiko!?" Sonia asked.

"...Huh, Fuyuhiko? Um... You see... I... don't really know..."

"You're part of that mysterious World Ender organization, aren't you?" Gundham asked.

"That's the organization that brought us to this island, right?" Hiyoko asked. "Since you're the one who brought us to this island, that's gotta be it. Hey, I don't know if you're a rabbit or a pig, but just what are you planning!?"

"This is a great opportunity...!" Nekomaru said, standing up. "It's time you finally filled us in...!"

"Ugh... what a dilemma..." Monomi muttered. "But... that's the one thing I can't say... Truly, this is the tragedy of middle management!" With that, she disappeared.

"She ran away again!" Ibuki snapped. "She's always like this when things get inconvenient for her!"

"Oh well, who cares about Monomi?" Nagito asked. "More importantly... She mentioned a new island... What should we do?"

"I do not think we should be exploring when Fuyuhiko is in danger..." Sonia said.

"But we must move forward, no matter what despair stands in our way! That's what hope should be!"

"What "hope"...?" Hajime asked. "You always say that just before you lead us into a trap..."

"I'm also worried about Fuyuhiko, but... is it really okay if we just stay here and do nothing?" Chiaki asked. "...Isn't it better if we do what we can?"

"What we can, huh... She's right... Let's try to find a way off this island before he comes back."

"You are right..." Sonia agreed. "Fuyuhiko will not recover any faster if we just stand around and do nothing."

"Then it's decided." Nagito said. "Let's explore and search for a new hope!"

"So wouldn't it be faster to just beat up the rest of the Monobeasts and search all the islands in one go?" Akane asked. "If that strange-lookin' rabbit can defeat one, it should be easy for us too!"

"...Hey, don't think about doing anything reckless." Nekomaru warned.

"Anyway, let's begin!" Nagito pushed. "Let's open the way to a hope-filled future with our very own hands!"

* * *

The third island seemed to have some sort of "dystopian wasteland" theme going on. It was a desert island, with only a few patches of vegetation throughout, and most of the buildings were the kind of places you could find in a city, albeit decrepit. This fact was made even clearer to Hajime as he walked to an area labelled "Electric Avenue." There were a bunch of street booths filled with electric appliances at the end of a narrow alleyway. Machines and other parts were cluttered together on display.

Still, Hajime decided it was best to search around. It would be perfect if they could find something that could be used to contact the outside world. Joining him in this area was Chiaki and Maki.

"...Soda Pop would've loved this place." Maki noted.

"Yeah... He would have..." Hajime agreed.

"...Well, not much we can do about that right now. All we can do is make sure the monsters responsible for this face justice."

"Right. And that starts with us getting off this island."

"You got that right." Maki tilted her head. "I wonder what she's up to?"

He turned and saw Chiaki fishing through a pile of electronics. "Chiaki, what happened? Are you looking for something?"

"...Yeah, I was wondering if there are any game consoles in here. Sometimes old hardware is treated like junk."

"Ah, so that's what you're doing."

"I already have a TV in my cottage, so it doesn't have to be a non-portable device... I'll settle for anything."

"If you do find something, let me know. I'll help you carry it back to your cottage."

"Yeah... I will."

"Heh, digging through trash for games." Maki couldn't help but smirk. "You can be a bit of a kid sometimes, Chiaki, you know that?"

"I'm not a kid. Besides, you can't say stuff like that, we're the same age." She countered.

"You don't know if that's _quite _true. I could be older than you, by just a little while. Oh, but I suppose we shouldn't be taking about this in front of Hajime."

"Why... does that matter?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious? A true lady never reveals her age to a gentlemen."

"But I already know you're the same age as me. What do a few months matter?"

"Months, days, minutes." Maki shrugged. "Time adds up quickly. I mean, just look at these computers. They're probably only a couple years old, but they're treated like junk anyway." For emphasis, she kicked a nearby desktop over.

An idea dawned on Hajime." I know... if we can connect to the internet, we might be able to call for help with these...!" He quickly grabbed a laptop from the pile and booted it up, trying to see if it could find something. "...It's no use. Looks like it's not connecting."

"Boy, what a shocker..." Maki muttered.

Hajime pointed at the screen. "Usami X File... what is this?"

That caught Maki's attention. "What? Open it, open it!"

He ignored her pushiness and did so. "It's a document file... Based on the format... it looks like it's some kind of report."

_About the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History._

_This horrendous event originated... with some students of Hope's Peak Academy causing a revolt. The students of the Reserve Course Department were... dissatisfied with being treated differently than the primary department, and began to fight the academy. At first, the dispute was confined to the campus, and hopes were high that it would settle down someday... But things quickly escalated. Behind the scenes of that rebellion, a huge authority was exerting its influence... Eventually, it spread like an infection, provoking riots in various parts of the world. It was unlike any previous act of terrorism or coup d'etat... It seemed to have a much different purpose. However, no matter what we assume, we simply cannot apply reason to this subversive movement. Nonetheless, the destruction is not chaotic or disorganized... It is both purposeful and malicious. Ther-fore... it is a subvers-ve movement fu-l of despair. Hope's Peak Academy became the or-gin of this incident, and was forced to put an end to th-ir long history... As f-r the students who surviv-d, they w-re f-rce- to k-ll e-ch o-er as a lesson in despair._

Hajime groaned. The words beyond that were too garbled to make out. "But... what is this?"

"Hmm... how normal..." Monokuma noted as he appeared beside the students. "It's not normal like a dog barking. It's such a normal reaction that it's quite novel. Hey, can't you react with more gusto!? Don't you know how very, very important this scene is!?"

"Could it be...? Were you the one who created this file...?"

"...My my, what makes you think that?"

"B-Because... it's obviously the only thing I can think of! The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history... Riots in various parts of the world... And... Hope's Peak Academy getting destroyed...? It sounds like something stupid you'd make up."

"He's got you there." Maki said.

"And? And?" Monokuma pressed.

"What's Hope's Peak Academy's Reserve Course Department? I've never even heard of that before...!" Hajime snapped.

"...Huh, really? That's weird... of all people, you should definitely be the only one who knows about it..."

"Wh-What do you mean...?"

"I guess you forgot about it, along with the memories of your school life. So it can't be helped."

"...While we're on the subject of stupid things... that file said something about students who survived. Is that... is it referring to us? Then the rest of that file..."

"I wouldn't know an important story like that! Cuz the only thing I'm good for is being cute!" With that, he disappeared.

"Dammit...!" Hajime snapped. "He ran away again...!"

"Reserve Course... Students who survived..." Maki shrugged. "Oh well. I'm sure whoever they are, they aren't connected to this situation." She craned her neck and stared at a nearby surveillance camera. "No one can help us at this point besides ourselves."

"D-Don't worry, it's going to be fine..." Hajime said, to himself more than anything. "I'm sure he's making all that up..."

* * *

"...Nagito." Maki greeted coldly as she stepped into the hospital.

"Hello, Maki."

"You know, this is the first time we've been alone together since Nekomaru and I tied you up. No hard feelings about that, I hope?"

He shrugged. "As long as you know you were just delaying the inevitable. Delaying my progress in creating the absolute hope that-"

"That can overcome any despair, yeah, I remember."

"Unless... delaying that is your hope, after all? If so, that would make you an agent of despair, don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not here to debate philosophy with you, as _fun _as it may be. I'm here because Sonia told me that Mikan made a discovery here?"

Their conversation was interrupted when the doors of the hospital opened. Hajime entered, hesitating when he saw Nagito.

"You're late, Hajime. Looks like you're the last one." Nagito noted. "There are patient rooms lining the hallway, but everyone is apparently gathered at the room in the very back."

"...You're not going with them?" Hajime asked.

"Miss Sonia... As expected from the Ultimate Princess... She cordially asked me to come... She's very much in touch with the feelings of us common folk. Nevertheless... I know my place, and I'm not reckless enough to go along with her. Since it's going to be such a touching scene, a worthless thing like me would just be a nuisance, right?"

"At least he's self-aware..." Maki muttered. "I'll be in there, if you guys need me." With that, she walked through the doors to the hallway.

"...A touching scene?" Hajime repeated.

"Hajime... I'm jealous of you." Nagito admitted.

"J-Jealous? Of me?"

"You don't know what your talent is, but you're showing no distress and you're even openning up to everyone... That must mean you have a lot of confidence in yourself, right?"

"...Are you being sarcastic?"

"N-Nope! Not at all... But still... I do wonder what sort of talent you really possess. Since you've dragged it out this long already, I'm sure it must be an appropriately magnificent talent..."

"Wh-Who knows...? It's not like it's my fault for dragging this out."

"You're right... Ah, I'm sorry... I'm sorry for stopping you for such a foolish conversation... Please go on ahead. Take care."

Brushing him off, Hajime indeed continued down the hall, to the room that he was directed to. As he neared it, he could hear voices on the other side.

"Sounds like they're all really here but... What are they doing here?" To find his answer, he opened the door and stepped through.

When he saw what had everyone gathered there, he joined them in their shock. Sitting in the hospital bed in the room was Fuyuhiko, covered in bandages.

He stared mostly through the window at his bedside, only barely acknowledging his classmates. "What...? You all look like you've seen a ghost..."

"F-Fuyuhiko... are you all right?" Hajime asked.

"Heh... It's just a scratch."

"Th-That's not a scratch at all, though..." Mikan noted.

"Well, I'm relieved to see you!" Nekomaru said. "I was worried you were done for!"

"Heh... There's no way I'd die from something like this... There's no way... I can die..."

A moment of silence passed before Mikan began to explain to the newcomers, "Earlier... I asked Monokuma and he showed me his medical records. There's a lot of sword-related wounds... But... they were relatively light wounds. No organs or nerves were damaged... Considering how fiercely he was attacked... this is pretty miraculous!"

Maki chuckled. "You've got the devil's own luck, you know that?"

"...Who knows? Maybe it wasn't luck." Chiaki suggested. "Maybe... Peko gave her life to protect Fuyuhiko."

"She protected him... while she was getting attacked by that horde of marionettes!?" Ibuki gasped.

"But if she really wanted to protect Fuyuhiko at all costs... It's not strange to think... that she would've done that. No, I think it's better if we think about it like that. You think so too, right Fuyuhiko? That must've been what you thought... There's no way you can die, right?"

The boy didn't respond at first. He continued to stare out the window, forlorn. He rolled over in his bed, turning his back to the others. "Who knows...?"

Another moment of silence passed. Mikan suddenly said, "Um... I think Fuyuhiko should rest here for a while. His wounds haven't fully healed... so it'd be bad if he overexerted himself. No need to worry. I'll take care of him for the time being. I mean... that's what nurses are for."

"...You hear that, Fuyuhiko?" Akane asked. "Just relax and get some sleep. I'll be the one who avenges you!"

"Akane... Fuyuhiko has finally come back to us." Nekomaru said. "You better not do anything reckless... I can't stand... the thought of losing someone... any longer."

"I know that! I just hafta win, right!?"

"Heh... then do whatever you want!"

"H-Hey... Nekomaru...!" Hajime started.

"You're the kind of woman who refuses to listen once her mind is made up. I know that all too well... So do whatever you want. I don't care about you anymore. However... I'm never going to do "it" to you again!"

"..."It"?" Sonia repeated.

"Oh boy..." Maki sighed.

"P-Please keep your voices down!" Mikan begged.

"H-Hey... Wait a sec, Nekomaru... I-It was my first time... I never thought... something that feels sooooo good even existed in this world... M-My body still hasn't forgotten... And now you're sayin'... you're just gonna stop all of a sudden...? L-Look... my body's gettin' all hot again just thinkin' about "it"...!"

Maki looked skyward, her hands spread out, mouthing something that looked like, "Why am I surrounded by these people?"

"If you're not going to heed my warning, it's unfortunate but "it" must come to an end!" With that, Nekomaru stormed out of the room.

"H-Hold on! I... I can't live without "it"!" Akane followed close behind him, practically trying to cling to him.

"...I wonder what that was all about?" Sonia asked.

"I'd rather not think about that..." Maki muttered. "In any case..."

"Phew... it's finally quiet..." Mikan said. "It's such bad manners to raise your voice inside a hospital."

"...Humans are such foolish creatures." Gundham said.

Hajime noticed Hiyoko standing in the corner, quietly glaring at Fuyuhiko. "...Hey, Hiyoko?"

"...It's... nothing..."

Chiaki yawned. "Now that I have some peace of mind, I'm getting sleepy. I should go home for today."

"Same here... All that walking just wore me out..." Hajime agreed.

"Yeah... so let's go home... Let's go home... and get some sleep..." With that, she hung her head and started snoring on the spot.

"So what should we do?" Hajime asked. "Do you guys want to call it quits for today? We can talk about it tomorrow, I know we're all tired from all the walking we've done today."

"Um... please leave Fuyuhiko to me." Mikan said. "I will make sure he's nursed back to health... I will do my very best to nurse him back to health so I won't be hated!"

"Well, you're already halfway there, then." Maki remarked, giving Hiyoko an almost parental glare. She and the other students made their way to the door. Then, just before she left, she leaned in close to Mikan, her mouth just beside the Nurse's ear, and said as quietly as she could, "Keep a close eye on him. He hasn't said or done anything crazy yet, but most people in his situation don't usually keep their mental stability. If he even had much of that to begin with, that is."

"R-Right, of course... I'll make sure he doesn't do anything dangerous!" Mikan said, a little too loudly.

Maki flinched, and glanced around. If Fuyuhiko heard, he didn't give any sign. She sighed, and leaned in again. "Not just that, though. Sure, a suicide attempt is most likely, but... he might also take it out on others. And if you're the only person around... I'm just saying, you should be a little more vigilant for now. We don't need any more bodies showing up."

Mikan nodded, finally catching on. She managed to whimper out, "W-Well... Even so, i-if all he does is try to hurt me or something... Well, he p-probably won't do anything I've never had to deal with..."

Maki gave a look of pity. "...You've got a strange sense of humour, Mikan." She turned and started slowly walking off, but she looked at the Nurse over her shoulder. "I'm not sure what happened in your past to make you like this, but... I'm the closest thing we have to a resident therapist. If you need help, or even just someone to talk to... Please, don't hesitate to ask me. I swear on my name, I won't be upset. And it'll be free of charge, too."

Mikan stared after the girl, surprised by her response. After a moment of thinking, she shook her head, turned, and started searching the building for medical tools.

* * *

**And with that, the new island has been revealed to us. Hiyoko's learning not to be as much of a snot, we learn more about the Tragedy, Fuyuhiko's okay, Maki's disgusted by sex jokes but also worried about both the Nurse and the Yakuza. Looks like everything's coming up roses for us. Hopefully it'll keep up, and nobody ends up _pushing_ up roses in the future. _*Laughs in Danganronpa*_**

**In the next chapter, some new developments will play out.**


	19. Chapter 18

**This is another one of those chapters that don't really progress the story, and mostly focuses on Maki making friends. However, I'm much more proud of this one than previous ones, since I manage to sneak in a _lot_ of hints to Maki's backstory, and we get to see her in a moment of weakness for the first time in... ever, really. Also, Albert gets a moment.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Doing Better**

The next morning, in contrast to the day before, everyone was in a much more lighthearted mood. Despite their situation, the knowledge that Fuyuhiko was alive was enough to bring most of them ease. There were actual smiles on the students' faces, and they engaged in small talk even before everyone had arrived.

When the whole group was together, Sonia spoke up. "Um... the day ended halfway yesterday, so let us try to put together our information about the new island."

"In the end, we couldn't even find a way to escape from this island, right?" Hiyoko said. "Seriously... you guys are useless..."

"But there's a music venue!" Ibuki argued.

"I got that but... what about the clues that we really need?" Nekomaru asked. "Clues like... information about this island... or anything that might help us understand what's happening to us?"

"In the town with all those machines, I found a clue contained within a file inside one of the laptops." Nagito explained.

"You... saw that, too?" Hajime asked.

"I... was told about that by Nagito, so I checked it as well..." Sonia added.

"I saw it, too." Gundham said. "It's about the fact that Hope's Peak Academy has already been destroyed."

"Huuuh!? Hope's Peak Academy has been destroyed!?" Ibuki shrieked.

"It's probably just another one of Monokuma's pranks." Nagito explained. "There's no way Hope's Peak Academy would fall. But... even if it is a prank, it's not something he should be allowed to do... A symbol of hope getting destroyed... It's not something you should even joke about...! Well, if you're still wondering about it, it might be better if you just confirm it for yourself."

"I-If I remember to do it, I'll give it a try..." Ibuki decided.

"So basically, on that island we found no way to escape, nor any useful clues this time around..." Gundham recapped. A smirk spread on his face as he added, "Oh hold on... It's "this time again," not "this time around." Kehehe..."

"You don't have to correct us each time!" Mikan cried.

"However, it is not all bad news!" Sonia added. "Fuyuhiko will be able to return to us!"

"Yeah, nice, but if we don't have a way out, all he's doing is essentially returning to a prison." Maki said. "By the way, how do you think his condition is, Mikan?"

"He's recovering extremely well so... I'm pretty sure he can be discharged from the hospital in one week. However... He's... probably lost the use of his right eye... forever."

"He totally deserves that..." Hiyoko spat.

"Eye for an eye..." Maki echoed dryly. "Still, he's lucky. There are a lot worse things you can lose than an eye..." Her tone made it sound as if she spoke from experience. Before anyone could question her, however, Akane spoke up.

"Maaaaan, I sure did eat! I'm stuffed today, too!"

"You certainly eat a lot, without even listening to what the others are saying..." Nekomaru said.

"...Okay then, since I'm stuffed, I should go train now."

""Train," you say? You hate training. How rare of you."

"If I don't do it, I won't get stronger... I have to do it." She explained. With that, she dashed out of the restaurant. "...By now!"

"She's like... really pumped up." Ibuki noted.

"Ha! I hope she's not thinking about doing anything bad!" Nekomaru mused.

With that, the rest of the students finished their meals and left one by one to continue on with their day.

* * *

Hiyoko sat in her cottage, doing her best to not think about how things were at the moment. It was hard. Her only real friend on the island was gone, and the one responsible for her death was alive and well. Worst of all, it seemed everyone had readily forgiven him, and were in fact grateful that he was still alive. She couldn't understand it. It made her angry. All she could tell herself was that everyone else was stupid as she shoved gummies into her mouth.

Suddenly, she was taken out of her thoughts when there was a knock at the door to her cottage. A familiar voice shouted, "Hiyoko, open up!"

"Wha-!? Go away!"

Either not hearing her or just not caring, the door opened as Maki peeked her head in. "I would've asked if you're decent, but I already know you can't dress yourself, anyway. Part of the reason I'm here, actually."

"Get out of here, you slutty nerd! I didn't invite you here! I don't wanna talk to you!"

"Well if I cared what you wanted, I don't think we'd even know each other's names. Besides, I don't want to talk to you, either, but I'm trying to be helpful here. I'm going to teach you how to tie a knot." She pulled an obi sash out of her lab coat pocket for emphasis.

"I-I don't need your help with that! I can do it on my own! Because... Mahiru taught me...!"

"Then show me."

Hiyoko was getting frustrated at this point. "I don't have to show you anything, you nasty bitch!"

Maki sighed. "Look, let's just clear the air. I don't like you, you don't like me. That's fine, but with Mahiru gone, you're going to start smelling again, and I don't want to put up with that. So I'm offering to spare you from future humiliation. Besides, I didn't do any favours for Mahiru, not that I owed her any, but I figure that the least I can do to pay my respects to her is to help finish the job she started. Again, I'm not asking you to like me, just to put up with me."

Hiyoko glared at her. On one hand, Maki was acting out of character from what she normally knew. On the other hand, she didn't know her very well, and Maki did seem sincere with her explanation. It would have been easy to just turn her away, but even if Hiyoko would never admit it, she did still need help learning how to tie a knot. She couldn't go without showering forever, after all. So she decided to play it safe and pick a happy middle ground, without revealing her ineptitude.

"Fine, whatever. It's not like I have anything better to do. Just don't touch me or my sash, got it?"

"That is why I brought this one, yes." She moved forward and knelt across the table from Hiyoko. "So, tell me, just how far did Mahiru's lessons go?"

"She... taught me how to do a basic knot. I've been practicing with string and stuff, so I can remember how to do it."

"Hmm... That's a good place to start, but an obi is much wider than a shoelace, which can make it a bit trickier. Do you think you can do it?" Maki slid the sash across the table.

Hiyoko stared at it for several seconds before she moved her hands, trying to recall the steps she went through with Mahiru. The process took several minutes, both due to the fact that she would occasionally mix up or forget a step, and that her hands were clumsy when she did anything other than dance. Through it all, she could feel Maki staring intently, almost bearing down on her with her creepy, heterochromatic eyes.

Finally, when she was done, she tightened the slightly sloppy knot, and passed it to Maki. "There. How's that?"

Maki inspected it, testing its strength. "Given that you only learned how to do it a couple days ago, I'd say you did pretty good. So let's step it up, can you tie it while also holding it against something?"

Hiyoko didn't answer, but averted her gaze.

"Alright. Now I know what skill level I'm working with. We can keep working on tying it on its own for now. Once you get quick enough, then we can work on tying it around something, and then yourself eventually."

Hiyoko looked back at her and finally just came out and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Maki smiled. "To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure, myself. I guess I'm just in a helpful mood recently. We have to work together if we're going to get off this island, after all. Though sometimes, I wonder if that's even possible. Maybe I've attracted the attention of the wrong people..."

"How does teaching me how to tie a sash help us get off this island any faster?"

"It doesn't, but having trust does. And out of everyone on this island, I'd say my relationships with you and Fuyuhiko are the most strained. We're like a trio of disgruntled traditionalists with worldviews that aren't compatible with each other. Well, except that my family doesn't really have much of... anything, really. Anyway, with Fuyuhiko bedridden, he's not as high a priority, but I at least want to make sure there aren't any burnt bridges between you and I."

Hiyoko gave another skeptical look. This _definitely _wasn't the Maki she thought she knew. "...Didn't you just say that you don't like me, and I don't have to like you? Make up your mind."

Maki smiled again. "That's the thing, though. Trust has nothing to do with whether or not you like someone. In my... previous line of work, I had a lot of people who I trusted to have my back when I needed it, but didn't think of them as anything more important than coworkers. I just knew how they operated."

"And how do either of us know we can trust each other? We only met a few days ago!"

"Yes, but I'm observant. I may not know you, but I know your patterns. You're naturally distrustful of those around you, and you try to remain the alpha through whatever means you can, whether that be belittling those lesser than you, or making them pity you with your fake tears."

"Distrustful? Belittling?" She repeated. "I'm, like, nothing like that."

"I don't think being distrustful is an inherently bad trait. Only fools trust anything at face value. You just know well enough to ask questions that no one else will, such as "Is this person really my friend?" As for belittling, does the name Mikan sounds familiar to you?"

"Hey, she's totally not as clumsy or helpless as she acts. She's only doing that because it gets you guys to pay attention to her!"

"Be that as it may, it's pretty obvious she was a victim of bullying in the past, and making fun of her over something that clearly traumatized her isn't exactly a good look for you."

"...She's not the only one who has issues." She muttered.

"That's absolutely true. Perhaps, instead of putting people down to make ourselves feel better, we should all try and talk to each other like normal people. I know that makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us more unified, harder to divide. The exact opposite of what the mastermind wants."

"Well, what about you? What's your big secret? Don't act like you're Ms. Social, either. You hate talking about yourself."

Maki thought for a long moment. "You want a secret? Fine, I'll give you one. This isn't my first killing game. I played one before."

The statement hung in the air for a few moments before Hiyoko could respond. "...Wh-What...?"

"Of course, I don't want to broadcast that fact. Can you imagine how much the others would distrust me if they found out? So for now, how about we keep that our little secret?"

"B-But... what was your last killing game like? Was it just like this one? How did you survive? Did you find out who the mastermind is?"

"It was... certainly more brutal. The motives were more interesting, the mastermind liked to twist the rules, and a lot of the "reveals" were more depressing. I survived by living to the end, really. Once the mastermind's identity was revealed, that was the end. I do know who they are, obviously, but I can also say without a doubt that they aren't the mastermind of this game, so I have no reason to get into that with you."

"You... survived to the end?"

Maki nodded. "That's what I said, and that's what I've been saying. As long as all of us work together and don't let Monokuma come between us, we _can _beat them. It's just going to take a little time. And someone like you, who refuses to play nice, is just going to make it harder."

Hiyoko was silent. At least that explained why Maki never seemed scared of what was going on. She had seen these kinds of horrors before.

The Criminologist slowly stood. "You know, Hiyoko, for someone who doesn't know how to tie knots, you sure do know how to tie a noose around your neck." She chuckled darkly at her joke before adding, "Keep practicing. You're getting better. We're all getting better. Now, I have some other business to attend to."

She left Hiyoko's cottage, leaving the Traditional Dancer alone and confused.

* * *

"Mikan?"

The new voice suddenly snapped the Nurse out of her work. She turned and saw Maki standing at the entrance of the corridor.

"O-Oh, hello, Maki!" She greeted, forcing herself to be extra pleasant.

Maki, for her part, smiled back. "I was just wondering... if you needed any help? I don't have a medical license, but I've picked up a thing or two during my career."

"Um... Actually, Fuyuhiko has already been tended to. I was just about to head back to my cottage..."

"Is that so? A shame. If I stopped by tomorrow, would you mind having me around?"

"Oh, um..." Mikan was taken aback. "I-I guess not. But... I thought you hated Fuyuhiko. Wh-Why would you want to help him?"

"Heh, you guys just keep looking my gift horses in the mouth. I suppose that's a breath of fresh air, compared to usual." She paused, fiddling with her cat-ear hairband again. "While I actually do want to talk to Fuyuhiko and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid... The truth is, I guess I also wanted to get to know you."

"I see..." When her initial confusion passed, she started to feel giddy. "Um... I-I'm glad. If I'm not being too presumptuous, would you like to walk back with me?"

"I think I'd like that very much."

A minute later, Mikan had finished up what she was doing, and the two girls left the hospital. Silence hung over them for a good amount of the journey. Maki seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Um... Did I do something wrong...?" Mikan asked.

"Huh? Oh, no, nothing like that. I just wanted to ask, uh... Did you give any consideration into what we talked about yesterday?"

"O-Oh... You mean about me needing a th-therapist?"

"Yeah... I know it sounds scary, to talk about yourself to someone, without hiding any of your feelings. But I can guarantee, it helps you feel better in the long run. I... I had someone like that, a long time ago. Someone I was allowed to be vulnerable around. It saved me, I think."

"But, why...?" Mikan asked. "Wh-Why are you going out of your way to help me like this...? Ah... I didn't m-mean to sound ungrateful! Y-You don't have to answer if you don't want to! U-Um, did you wanna draw on my body...?"

"That- That won't be necessary." She assured her. "You asked a valid question. I guess... If I'm being honest, you remind me of that person I was able to confide in. She... well, she was just like you. So I guess I just have a soft spot for you, in a way. I'm... sorry if that sounds weird to you?"

"Y-Y-You don't have to apologize. It's my fault. Ah, if you want, I could try acting different! I'm really good at pretending to be a pig..."

"I'm... not sure which idea disturbs me more, someone making you do that, or you doing it of your own free will. What's with all these... suggestions?"

"O-Obviously, I don't want to do that stuff at all, but... if it makes everyone not hate me and smile at me, then it's much better..."

"Is that why you act like this?" Maki pressed. "Because you think your only options are to be hated or ignored?"

The question caught the Nurse off guard. "I-I... Of course, I would prefer if everyone liked me, but that's impossible. Especially for someone like me... Th-That's why... it's much better for them to smile and laugh at me, right? Right now, no one is trying to hurt me, or make me do any of those things, and I'm glad, but... Wh-What if they're all ignoring me because they... really don't care about me at all!?"

"Stop it!" Maki snapped, grasping Mikan's hand in her own. Their eyes met. "Nobody's thinking that, and I won't let them! A-And... I don't want you to think like that either, okay? Please. If... If you ever feel that way again, just come find me. No matter what mood I'm in, I'll do my best to make sure you don't feel hated or ignored. I promise."

"P-P-Promise...?"

Maki wrapped her pinky finger around her's. "Mikan, do you know what this is?"

"A... pinky swear?"

"Right. So, I promise, no matter how you feel, I'll do what I can to make you feel better. It might not be much, but... it's what I have to offer."

The two girls stood in silence, Mikan unsure what to make of the display, before Maki dropped her hand and blushed. "I'm sorry. I got a little emotional there. I don't know what's coming over me, today."

"Um... if you need a checkup, I can help with that." Mikan offered. "It's basically the only thing I'm good at, anyway."

Maki smiled. "I might just take you up on that offer. For now, I'm mostly just not feeling myself, but I'll let you know the minute I start showing any symptoms."

The two enjoyed some normal conversation, at least as normal as they could get, as they arrived on the first island. When they reached the hotel grounds, they parted ways to go to their separate cottages.

When she was done with the extended farewell, Maki shut the door of her home, locked the door, and slid to the floor. She held her face in her hands.

"What the fuck am I doing...?" She muttered. "I'm not helping Mikan's problems, I'm just turning myself into a crutch for her. Just like-" She cut herself off, eyeing the surveillance camera in the corner of the room. "...Well, whatever. I guess it's like Pick Your Poison, remain dependant on abuse, or become dependant on me. Neither seems very good at a glance."

She smacked herself. "What am I saying, that's not the issue here. Why am I... getting so attached to these kids? I can't afford to become vulnerable. I can't let my guard down. If I do... If I do..." She clutched her head, the memories clearly torture for her. "No, forget about them. Leave them behind. They weren't your friends, you weren't one of them. Nobody can ever say you were. You're Maki Yugami now, a changed woman."

She slowly rose, and moved for her bed. It was hardly sundown, but she was exhausted.

* * *

I blinked slowly, rubbing the crust from my eyes. It took me a moment to gather my bearings. I was back in cottage 17, with all my stuff. I was fully-clothed, laying in bed with my blanket lazily spread over me. I reached over to my end table and found my only article that had been removed, my glasses, and shoved them on my face.

On the table in the centre of the room, Kameko chirped as she noticed my stirring. However, she wasn't the only one in the room. Chihiro stood over her bug box, passing her some leaves. He noticed me staring, and must've realized how odd it looked for me to wake up and find him in here, as he started blushing. "Oh, uh, I was just feeding-"

I raised a hand. "Don't care. Still half-asleep."

I slowly pushed myself up. I took great pleasure in stretching my muscles and working my joints. I don't think I've had such a good sleep in forever. "How long was I out?"

"Um, almost two days, I think. Sorry, did I wake you?"

I chuckled. "Not unless you can somehow purge tranquilizer out of people. No, wait... two days? The dose must've worn off a long time ago. So, if you did wake me, then thanks. I slept in a little too long." I raised my shirt and pressed it against my nose, taking a huge whiff. "Ugh, yep, that smells like two days of Albert. And Kameko."

"So... are you okay?" He asked. "You had a pretty bad freak-out before they put you to sleep."

I shuddered a bit as I recalled my last moments of consciousness. "...I had a hallucination. A bad one. Have you heard of shadow people?"

"No? But I can probably guess what that is..."

"Yeah. I saw a person who wasn't really there. It was pitch-black, whoever it was. Obviously, I know it wasn't real. I know that now. But at the time, it was so vivid... It doesn't help that my head suddenly started killing me. I... I probably should've been taking better care of myself. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

He didn't meet my eyes. In a quiet voice, he said, "...You always say that, but you never actually do anything to fix it. Are you really sorry, or are you just saying that to get us to back off?"

I was surprised by his bluntness, and ashamed when I couldn't find an answer to his question. My eyes drifted to the floor.

"I-I'm sorry... You just woke up, you don't wanna hear this. I just... don't want another scare like that again. I wish I could do something to help. I-I'm gonna go..." He turned and headed for the door.

"No! I mean, no... No, you're right. This is my fault. There's something wrong with me. I'm my own worst enemy..." I slid off my bed and partook in a custom I wasn't entirely knowledgeable in, but was simple enough for me to understand: Bowing. I fell to my hands and knees before my friend. "I broke our promise. I know you don't have any reason to believe me, but I _am_ sorry. I don't... I don't want to get to that point again. And I don't want you to see me like that again, either. I'll try to do better. I'll take care of myself. I'll even talk with Miaya about it or something. Just... please, don't give up on me. I'm just... I'm still trying."

I heard footsteps. Chihiro's shoes entered my field of view. I looked up, and he extended a hand down to me. I took it, and he helped pull me to my feet.

"...You've been working out." I noted.

He smiled despite our serious topic. "You should probably save that for Byakuya. Makoto made him help carry you here. And... of course I'm not giving up on you. I just want you to know that... I'm still here. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right. Thanks. For everything." I went in for a hug, and he returned it. Hugs feel nice when you're emotionally exhausted. Especially when it's coupled with your friend letting you know he has your back. Kameko served as the sole witness to our total bro-ness (that's a word now) as I was now ready to take on the day.

Or maybe not. After a few seconds, Chihiro pushed himself away. "You're right, you do smell pretty bad."

"Yeah, I think my first task in taking care of myself should be to get a shower. And some breakfast. And a bathroom. And... You know what, just tell the others it's gonna be a hot minute before I'm in working order."

"I will. I'll, uh, leave you to it." He once again made his way to the door. "But if you break your promise again, I really will make you eat a pufferfish."

I chuckled. "Okay, Chihiro. I'll keep that in mind."

With that, I was alone with my stinkbug. She seemed fine.

I kicked my mind into gear as I went through my morning routine. Or, evening routine, I guess, since the sun was going down. Either way, there was a ton of questions I still had to answer, and with my refreshed brain, I was hoping I could see a new perspective.

Who was Maki Yugami? I didn't have a clue. Celeste believes her to be an extension of the Junko Virus, but she only has circumstantial evidence for that claim. There was never an Ultimate Criminologist enrolled at Hope's Peak Academy, which means her identity must be falsified. This is supported by Celeste's testimony, specifically that Maki has shown her tells whenever she states her own name. Maki also never appeared in canon. This is an important fact because anything that isn't canon is supposedly related to me. Which means I must've brought her here somehow. Butterfly effect might mainly deal in subtle changes, but for me to throw an entirely new person into the mix, she must've been someone I interacted with once or twice. It's a stretch, but...

As I finished dressing myself, throwing on a fresh new lab coat, I steeled my resolve. I wouldn't destroy myself like that again. I was going to find out who Maki was. The secret was hidden in my past. And there was only one person who could help me piece together the fragments of my time at Hope's Peak.

I opened the door of my cottage and stepped out into the twilight. This battle might've barely been half over, but I was determined to get through it without anymore missteps.

I, Albert Wright, was back in the game.

* * *

**There we are. Maki has increased her relationships with Hiyoko and Mikan, two characters who are usually on opposing ends of tierlists (or sometimes, they meet in the middle somewhere), references her past a couple of times, and we see Albert rise from his bed. I mean, it was only a matter of time. He's a big guy, so it'd take a lot of drugs to keep him out for long, even with anime laws applied.**

**I've noticed that emotional moments seem to be the ones I struggle with writing the most, so I hope that Maki and Mikan's, and Albert and Chihiro's conversations didn't come off as too awkward. At the very least, I hope the spirit of their conversations were clear. I also like both parts because I managed to sneak in some small symbolism: When the sun goes down, so does Maki, but Albert chooses to rise instead. This was totally intentional and not just a coincidence because I needed Albert to wake up before people start to worry if he's gone comatose.**

**In the next chapter, something new will happen. Maybe Monokuma will reveal a motive or something, I dunno.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Long time no see. I actually have an excuse for why this chapter took so long: My computer crapped it's pants last week, a few days before I planned to upload. As a sort of apology, though, this chapter is quite a bit longer than usual. Even if I didn't plan it that way.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**Helping Out**

The next morning was very much the same as the day before. The tone was lighthearted, but more dull, as the lack of progress was making the students restless. However, something new was in store, a major difference. As Hajime entered the dining hall, he noticed the others had formed a crowd, and they all had their backs to him.

"...Hey, what happened?" He struggled to look over everyone's shoulders. When he finally got a clear look, he was surprised by what he saw.

Fuyuhiko stood, wearing his usual suit and an eyepatch over his right eye. He extended his hand in a greeting gesture. "I got something I wanna say!"

"...Fuyuhiko!? Is it okay for you to be moving around like this so soon!?" Hajime asked.

"Well... he shouldn't be okay..." Mikan said.

"Whatever I say after this point... I apologize in advance if I make a mistake! My last name is Kuzuryu! My first name is pronounced, "Fu-yu-hi-ko!" I'm still an inexperienced member of my family's business! From this point forward, I hope we get along so we can get to know each other better!"

"Just... what the hell was that?" Gundham asked.

"I-It's nothing, really... Just a greeting..."

"This is already _weird_..." Maki muttered.

"So... that eyepatch..." Byakuya pointed out.

"Ah... it's nothing." Fuyuhiko said.

"There's no way that's nothing, since... that eye is no longer..." Mikan trailed off.

"So you can't see out of it, huh..." Nekomaru muttered.

The Yakuza put on a brave face. "Heh... it's only one eye. Besides, don't I look like I gained some prestige or somethin'?"

"F-Fuyuhiko..." Sonia started. She was interrupted by Hiyoko.

"Why are you acting all cool and stuff! Don't you understand the position you're in right now!? Do you really think we'll forgive you that easily for what you did!? Don't you get it? It's your fault Mahiru is dead... No, not just Mahiru. Peko died because of you, too. It's all your fault!"

Fuyuhiko stared at the floor, unable to offer a response.

"U-Um... Hiyoko..." Mikan started. "We've finally been able to get together with everyone..."

"Huh? So what if we're all here? You better not say we're "friends" or something. There's no way a killer like him will ever be our friend!"

After a moment, Fuyuhiko finally looked up. "Yeah, you're right... It's all my fault... I already know that... It's my fault... that those two are dead..."

"Are you... planning to just give us your "so what?" attitude?"

"It's... not that..." He fell, folding himself into a deep bow and pressing his head against the floor.

"...F-Fuyuhiko!?" Hajime asked.

"Huh...? What the heck?" Hiyoko asked. "Hey, don't mess with me! Do you really think we're gonna forgive you if you just drop to your knees and cry!? Do you really think a half-assed apology will make us forget what you've done!?"

"No... I don't think that at all..." He muttered. One of his hands moved around, obscured by his body. Nobody was able to tell what he was doing until a pool of crimson spread out from under him.

"This is..." Ibuki started. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! It's blood! It's bloooooood!"

Mikan shrieked. "Fuyuhiko... has slit his own stomach!"

"Wh-What... what are you doing...?" Hiyoko asked.

Fuyuhiko slowly rose, clutching his wound, tears streaming down his face. "I-I didn't think... I'd be forgiven with such... a half-assed apology... But... if I don't do this... m-my feelings... won't feel resolved...!"

"You fool!" Nekomaru snapped. "That doesn't mean you should slice your stomach!"

"We must carry him to the hospital as soon as possible...!" Mikan ordered.

"Y-You're right! Someone, lend me a hand!"

"I'm on it." Maki said, handing Mikan her lab coat. As she moved to help Fuyuhiko, she said, "That's two coats I've had to ruin with your blood, now."

Fuyuhiko struggled against her and Nekomaru. "S-Stop it... I can walk there myself...!"

"There's no way you can walk!" Mikan snapped. "Haaaah... Even though I took the time to patch you up, now I need to sew your wounds all over again!"

The Yakuza finally relented. "Tch... I feel so ashamed... I-In the end... I made trouble for everyone again..."

"Wh-Who cares about that? Let's go!"

The four of them left the dining hall, with Maki and Nekomaru supporting Fuyuhiko, and Mikan trying to keep the coat around his wound.

Those that were left found themselves in awkward silence.

Eventually, Chiaki spoke up. "Hey Hiyoko, I've been thinking about this for a while but... What would Mahiru say about all this? I know you guys were best friends so what do you think?"

"What... would Mahiru say?" The smaller girl turned toward the photo display she put up before. "What would Mahiru say...? She'd probably get mad... really mad... And after she got mad..." She trailed off.

"Hmmm... This is a rare occurrence." Nagito finally said.

"If you're thinking about saying something inappropriate again... now's not the best time." Hajime warned.

"No, it's not that... Does anyone know where Akane is?" At that, everyone present looked around the dining hall.

"Ah... now that you mention it, she's gone." Ibuki realized. "It's so strange for her to not join us for breakfast."

"Hmm, I have a bad feeling about that... too." Chiaki said.

"A bad feeling...?" Hajime repeated.

"I mean... hasn't she been acting a little weird these past few days?"

"She's always weird." Gundham said.

"Mmm... but I'm a little worried, though."

With nothing else to talk about, the students all finished their meals and left, feeling uneasy.

* * *

Maki groaned as she and Nekomaru stepped out of the hospital. "I have to say, that's not how I planned to start my day."

"Yeah. I'm surprised at how reckless Fuyuhiko was, considering what Peko went through to protect him..." Nekomaru said.

Maki eyed her outfit. Her and Nekomaru gained quite a few bloodstains carrying Fuyuhiko across the islands. "...We should probably get back and change. I need to grab a clean lab coat, too."

"Right, the others have probably seen enough bloodstains for a lifetime." He agreed, before thinking. "Hmm... I'm impressed at how many of our classmates wear multiple layers in this heat. And even more impressed that none of them have collapsed yet."

"Says the guy in the thick leather jacket."

Nekomaru laughed. "You have a point. Maybe I shouldn't think too hard about it." They continued walking for another few minutes before he spoke again. "I gotta say, I'm also impressed at how you're able to put aside your grievances over Fuyuhiko to help him. That's admirable."

She shrugged. "I couldn't care less about Fuyuhiko as a person. As a factor in this game, though? That's different. Whether or not his apology earlier was genuine, he's still unstable and could snap at any moment. Growing up in a crime family, plus having your only friend die? Doesn't exactly scream "functional citizen" to me."

"I see. You're trying to keep an eye on him. Should we tie him up like we did with Nagito, then?"

Maki considered it for a moment before shaking her head. "Honestly, I'd much rather deal with Fuyuhiko than Nagito. And I'm afraid that trick would only work once. If we did it again, the others would quickly figure out it was us. Even if they didn't, you'd probably just spill it again, somehow. Besides, tying someone up is a temporary solution. One way or another, we're going to have to face our problems eventually."

"...So, I can understand wanting to keep an eye on him, but..." Nekomaru paused. "If you're afraid of him doing something dangerous, is it really a good idea to leave him alone with Mikan?"

"I already warned her to be careful, but you're right. Once I get changed, I plan on heading right back. I already volunteered to help her out, after all." As she spoke, she gradually slowed her pace. She hesitated, then turned to look back. "Hmm... Maybe I should've have left in the first place. She's probably got her hands full with the stitching..."

Nekomaru smiled. "I'm proud of you, Maki."

"Huh?"

"You used to be so aloof. I always got the impression you were only ever thinking of yourself. But over time, it seems like you've improved considerably! You've made a bunch of friends, you're always working with us to solve the mystery of this island, and I feel like I can genuinely call you a friend!"

"...Jeez, you sound like my dad. But thanks. I guess it's not often I get praised for something other than my intellect. But even I'm not sure why I'm feeling this way. The stress of the game must be getting to me. Who knows, maybe after the next trial I'll become a complete saint."

"Maybe!" He said, turning to continue walking. "But, don't jinx it like that. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we don't need anymore murders."

Maki smirked as she followed. "Well, you can't speak for everyone if someone is secretly plotting a murder at the moment, can you?"

"Hmph. I can't say I like the way you think. But I guess that's part of your job description, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Even if someone isn't plotting a murder right now, you can guarantee someone will be after Monokuma reveals his next motive. Which, I might add, could be pretty soon given our timeline."

"I'm not exactly excited about that..."

"...You're worried about what Akane's going to do, aren't you?"

"Hah! You can read me like a book. I just don't want my athletes doing anything reckless."

"Hey, I'm with you there. I'd try to assure you that everything will be fine, but I must admit, I'm a little pessimistic when it comes to these things. Part of the job description, you know?"

* * *

As per usual, things were quiet in the observation room. Taichi was still at work with the cybersecurity. I was watching a bunch of teenagers on an island try and cope with death. Miaya was with me on that one. It was almost the end of her shift, and we had already talked extensively about my mental state.

"It's just stress." Was her conclusion, spoken through her Usami avatar.

"Really? That seems kinda obvious." I said. "I mean, we're all stressed, aren't we?"

"Maybe, but sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one. And while it's true everyone else is stressed as well... When was the last time you took any time for yourself?"

I had to concede she had a point.

"We all work in shifts. We take time to unwind, to rest, to recuperate. But you've purposely been overworking yourself, even before you arrived at this island. That's why you're suffering these symptoms. Have you ever put any thought into _why _you push yourself so hard?"

"Why? That's obvious, isn't it? I want to help rebuild the world, and bring it back to the way it was before the Tragedy. In order to do that, I have to stop the killing games, and put a stop to the Ultimate Despairs."

"Everyone else feels the same way. Are you sure that's all there is to it? Perhaps... you feel like you have something to prove?"

"Something to prove? What do you..." I trailed off as some memories started surfacing.

_"I should just sit in the background where I belong. Heh... I don't know why I even tried... I don't know anything..."_

_"The only person I'm angry with is myself... because you're all fucking right! None of my plans worked. Not one... I couldn't save Sayaka, or Leon... I couldn't save Toko or Mondo... Or Taka... Or Hifumi... Or Hiro... And in the end, even after spilling my secret to Sakura... I still couldn't save her... I'm... fucking worthless..."_

_"The only thing that ever chose me was bad luck, and a loony scientist. Anytime I try to protect someone, there's a good chance that they end up dead, and if they don't, someone else probably will. On top of that, I'm fat. I'm afraid of the dark. I'm absent-minded. I'm not confident in myself! I've never been!"_

_"Congratulations, Albert. You are special. But not in any way you wanted to be. I don't think I've ever met someone as incompetent as you. You're just the Ultimate Loser."_

"That's... That's a good question, actually."

At that moment, the door opened as Chiaki entered for her shift.

Miaya slowly wheeled toward the door. "We'll continue our talk another time, Al. For now, just be sure not to neglect yourself."

Chiaki held the door open for her, then made her way over and took a seat beside me.

"...Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm good. For now."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. Well, we weren't getting anywhere with this. Might as well get right into it.

"So, I had an idea after I woke up this morning. Er, last evening. Whatever."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about Maki, and realized something I had forgotten. In every other case, this universe is exactly the same as the Danganronpa I know, except for things that I affected myself. Which means... Maki's existence must be tied to my actions somehow. Maybe she was some no-name at Hope's Peak who I managed to piss off or involve in the Tragedy in some way. But there's only one way we can find out."

"You're talking about me, right?"

"I still don't have any of my memories back. The others in my class have some memories restored, thanks to the Future Foundation's efforts, but I can only recall what little bit Toshihide unlocked for me before he left. And it's not like I could ask the Remnants, even if they weren't in the simulation. So... you're the closest person to me with full memories of your time at Hope's Peak."

"I'm sorry, Al." She said, looking away. "I really don't know anything about Maki."

"Well, I didn't think it'd be that easy. What I had in mind was more like... Do you think you could tell me more about myself, back then? What did I do, how did I behave, that sort of thing?"

"Let's see..." She was lost in thought for a moment. "You were always really quiet."

"Somehow, that's not surprising."

"Well, it wasn't just the normal, shy kind of quietness. I think it was because you just couldn't speak Japanese very well back then."

"Oh. That makes sense. During the killing game, Toshihide used his psychic powers to act like a translator for me, and afterwards he imparted me with his knowledge of the language. Before that, I would've had to learn it all manually."

"Yeah, you were always mixing up words and stuff. That's not to say you weren't shy, though. I think you were worse than I was before I arrived. But only with people outside of mine or Makoto's classes."

"Well, that's just par for the course with me."

"Outside of our classes, most of the students didn't seem to like you very much. I think it was because you were the only Reserve Course student allowed on the Primary Course campus, since you were Tomonaga's apprentice."

"Ah. So I earned scorn from my fellow Reserve Course students by getting special treatment, but wasn't accepted by the Ultimates since I wasn't talented. A classic "of two worlds" scenario. Except, less literal than usual, for me."

"Still, you always put on a brave face and tried to help everyone around you. Even though you seemed unsure of yourself, you were always willing to offer an ear to everyone. I think, in the long run, you helped my classmates more than I ever did."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short. You were important enough to them that when they thought you died, it kick-started their transformation, right? I know that's not exactly the best thing to hear, but it does make it obvious just how important you were to them. So, never... Never downplay the impact your connection can have. That kind of bond is one of the most powerful things in this world."

"...Thank you. That helps. I just..." She looked up and stared at the monitor showing the security footage of the Pod room. "I just hope we can bring things back to the way they were before, you know?"

"I know your friends can make it out of this. No matter what they have to endure. We just have to have hope until then. As for things going back to the way they were, though... That's impossible."

"Huh?"

"Every second, we move toward an uncertain future. Change is a part of life, one that's unavoidable. No matter how much we want to turn back the clock, to live the life we had before the change, it's impossible. There's no save point to be reloaded. That moment's gone forever. The past is in the past."

Chiaki's eyes fell to the floor.

"...But we can make something better out of our future. We can make a future where no one ever has to play these sick, twisted games ever again. A future we can spend with our friends, without having to send one of them to a war zone, or making them worry about us because we're pushing ourselves to the breaking point. Isn't that the kind of future you want to live in?"

She looked up and met my eyes. A small smile forced itself onto her face. "Yeah, you're right."

I returned a smile of my own. "That's what I wanna see. Now..." I slowly stood up. "I gotta use the bathroom. We can keep talking about this when I get back. We got all the time in the world, after all."

"Hey, Al?"

I stopped at the door. "...Yeah?"

"Do you really think a future like that is possible? Do you think we can get there?"

"I know we can. Rather, we will. We have to, for the people who died on our watch, and for the people we still have to fight for."

My response seemed to satisfy her, at least. I made my way out of the room to carry on my business.

I still wasn't sure where the happy middle was between my personal ideals and my promise to my friends, but I knew I'd find a way to make that future possible. I had to.

* * *

That evening, Maki returned to her cottage after her long shift at the hospital. She was barely inside for a minute when her doorbell rang. Groaning, she pulled out a scalpel she had picked up and held it behind her back as she opened the door a crack.

"Nice to have met ya!" Ibuki greeted. "It's the past tense of "nice to meet you"! You know, since we've already exchanged "nice to meet you"s!"

"Hello, Ibuki." Maki subtly returned the scalpel to her pocket. "Coming out of anyone else, that statement would feel threatening."

"Allow me to apologize for surprising you with my sudden visit... I'm sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry!"

"...So what brings you here this late?"

"Um... Ibuki doesn't get it either... but it looks like... an invitation was sent to everyone..."

"...Invitation?"

"See, this thing." Ibuki produced a small card and passed it to Maki.

_Invitation Ticket_

_9:00 p.m. at "Titty Typhoon"._

_Party for Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu's Recovery_

"...Uh-huh. You're throwing a party?"

"I-I-I don't know what you're... talking about... at all... I-Ibuki just... just brought the invitation... Well then, Ibuki has some preparations so I'll go on ahead! I'll leave it to you!"

With that, the Musician dashed off, leaving Maki alone and confused.

"Jeez, she's a terrible liar. I don't think she could be more obvious if she just told the truth." She returned her gaze to the card. "The music venue, huh? Not the classiest place to hang out, if the name is any indication, but why not? I might as well play nice."

For the third time that day, Maki made her way to the third island. Along the way, she met up with a few other students who received similar invitations from Ibuki, which at least served as a relief that this wasn't some sort of trap. As if any of them believed Ibuki was capable of coming up with something like that.

As she arrived at the venue, she noticed even more students inside, including someone who was expected but was still a surprise.

"F-Fuyuhiko... why are you...!?" Hajime stammered.

"What...? Is it bad I came?" He asked.

"No, not that... is it okay for you to move around?" Hajime asked. Fuyuhiko was standing rather stiffly, probably due to the bandages under his clothes. However, if he was in pain, he didn't show it.

"...Yeah, it's nothin'."

"There's no way you're okay!" Mikan snapped. "You're seriously injured!"

"They took the time to throw a party for me... There's no way I wouldn't come..."

"I understand how you feel, but you really shouldn't overwork yourself..."

"I'm not... overdoing... it..."

"Fine then. Just let him do what he wants." Nekomaru decided.

"B-But..."

"It's fine, just let him be. Apparently yakuza have pain tolerance down to an art..."

Maki shrugged. "Regardless, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I'd rather relax tonight than do anything crazy. Hopefully, at the very least, we won't have to deal with any wounds reopening."

"R-Right... Like she said." Fuyuhiko agreed.

"But... it looks like Hiyoko definitely didn't come." Nagito noted.

"...That seems to be the case." Gundham said.

"And... Akane's not here too." Chiaki added.

"Wh-What is that wild woman off doing?" Nekomaru wondered. "I hope she's not planning to do anything strange..."

Suddenly, the stage lights flicked on and filled the music venue with trippy, vibrant lighting.

"...Oh my!" Sonia gasped.

The mic sparked to life as Ibuki brandished her guitar. "Heeeeey y'all! It's Ibuki Miodaaaaaa! Thanks for coming out today! My specialty is making beef stew! Haha, I may not look like it but people tell me that I'm a nurturing type! So I'm gonna do my very best performance so I can make everyone feel better. I hope you're all pumped up! All right, I'll start singing this first song with full-on energy! So put your hands together for... "From Me to You Too"!"

From the title, Maki was expecting some sort of lighthearted love song. Her eardrums were surprised when, instead, she was met with psychotic screaming and heavy metal. "Well, there goes my relaxation plans." She covered her ears and did her best to ignore the noise.

When the music finally died out, Ibuki announced, "Thank you everyone!"

"S-Such an overwhelmingly baleful resonance!" Gundham gasped, trying to calm his hamsters. "Even my Four Dark Devas of Destruction look less lively than usual!"

"I-I too... am starting to feel chills...!" Sonia said with a shiver.

"It's a... uniquely disturbing song, that's for sure." Byakuya offered.

"With a title like "From Me to You", I thought it was going to be a sweet love song!" Mikan said.

Hajime stammered. "I-If I recall... the reason why Ibuki left the high school girl's band was..."

"Creative differences..." Chiaki recalled.

"Yahooooo!" Hiyoko cheered. "It's awesome! That's the first time I've heard such a famous song!"

"...H-Hiyoko!?" Hajime gasped. Everyone else turned to her with wide eyes, as well.

"Ah, you came?" Chiaki asked.

"S-So what if I did...? I was invited too, you know..."

Mikan spoke up. "But... if you're attending Fuyuhiko's recovery party, that means... You've... already..."

Rather than snap and make a fuss like everyone expected, Hiyoko answered, "A-Are you stupid...? Don't misunderstand. There's no way I'd forgive him that easily. Cause... he's a yakuza, you know? He's the type of person who preys on people by tricking them. Even now, he's probably just pretending to be sorry... so he can try to trick us!"

"...There is no way that is possible." Sonia said.

Fuyuhiko raised a hand. "No, I get why she'd think that of me..."

"Yeah, that's right. That's why we're never going to believe in you. Get it? This doesn't mean we've made up or anything. I'm only cooperating with you until we get off this island."

"...Huh?"

"Just remember... if anything happens, you're the first one who's gonna get cut off."

"...Sorry..."

Maki sighed. "Well, I suppose that's the best we're going to get."

"Eeeee... I'm glad..." Mikan cried. "I'm really... really... glad..."

"Ew, don't cry!" Hiyoko snapped. "Pigs have no right to cry! You're grossing me out!" She turned toward the rest of the students, and caught Hajime staring at her. "...Hey, what are you looking at?"

"N-Nothing..."

"Hey, how much longer are you guys gonna be bummed out!? I came all the way here 'cause you said it was a party! C'mon Ibuki! Hurry up and start the next song!"

"Roger! Thanks for waiting! Let's go right ahead to the next song!"

"...Huh? There's still more?" Nagito asked.

"Oh dear..." Byakuya groaned.

"Now that this recovery party is in full swing, I've got a ballad prepared that totally fits the mood... Grab a partner and slowdance to... "I Squeezed Out the Baby But I Have No Idea Who The Father Is"."

"H-Hey!" Monomi suddenly appeared. "What's everyone doing here!?"

"Whoa, Monomi!?"

"Heeey, don't interfere!" Hiyoko snapped. "Aw, and I was enjoying such a fun party too!"

Monomi gasped. "...I wasn't invited to the party..."

"Kyahahaha! Obviously not! You'd ruin the party if you were here."

Monomi gasped twice in a row, which sounded so fake the students barely reacted. "...But seriously, now's not the time! Now's not the time to enjoy a fun party!"

"...Wh-Why?" Hajime asked.

"A-Akane... Akane is... Akane is duelling Monokuma!"

"Wh-What did you say...?" Nekomaru asked.

"A-At this point, Akane's gonna be in danger... Please... do something... to save her!"

"It looks like... my bad feeling was correct." Chiaki muttered.

"That stupid fool!" Nekomaru roared. "No... I'm the one who was the fool... It was my mistake to not keep my eyes on her! Tch...! As a team manager, I should've had a proper grasp of my athlete's private life... Dammiiiiiiit! This failure will haunt me for the rest of my life, or my name isn't NEKOMARU NIDAIIIIIIIII!"

"N-Now is not the time for regret! Let us make haste!" Sonia ordered.

"OF COOOOOOUUUUUURRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSE! Fuyuhiko finally returned to us... The thought of anyone else in our group getting taken... I won't allow it! I will never allllllooooow iiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttt!"

"Hey Monomi...! Where's Akane and Monokuma!?" Hajime asked.

"U-Um... they're at the beach where we first arrived at this island... Please hurry! If you don't, Akane's gonna get killed!"

"You don't have to tell me!" Nekomaru declared. "I'm going FULLLLL SPEEEEEEEED AHEEEAAAAADDDDDD!" With that, he sprinted out of the music venue.

"We should hurry too." Chiaki beckoned for the rest to follow as she headed after him.

Ibuki stood on stage, still not entirely sure what was going on. "Heeeeey... everyone... Thanks... thanks everyone... No, that's not it! I know Akane's in deep trouble but you guys suck! Screw this half-baked comfort! If this were a song title, it'd be "Salt Seeping into My Broken Heart"!"

"I don't really get it... but you look pretty bummed out." Hajime said.

She groaned and tossed her guitar to the ground. "C'mon, you shouldn't make a fuss here. Let's hurry over to the beach already!"

* * *

As the crowd of students arrived, Akane and Monokuma were at a standoff. Although it wasn't much of one, as Akane was knelt to the ground, her injuries and exhaustion made it difficult for her to stand. She glared at Monokuma as she struggled to regain her breath.

"A-Akane!" Hajime shouted as he arrived last.

"Looks like you're just barely avoiding any fatal injuries..." Monokuma noted, impressed. "Yep, at least your agility is worthy of praise. But did you only challenge me just so you could show me your sweet dance moves?"

"D-Dammit...! Why... why can't I even graze you with my attacks!?"

"Well, you know... we're on completely different levels. That means we view the world differently. It's like a character from a punk manga challenging an enemy from a superpowered battle manga. Puhuhu, it's obvious you can't win."

"Monokuma is an advanced machine..." Nekomaru muttered. "However... as far as speed is concerned, Akane is far faster than any athlete I've ever seen! And she says she can't even graze him with her attacks? Is that... even possible?"

"However... because it's possible, that's why she's in this situation, right?" Nagito said. "As long as she's ended up like that, there's not much we can really do about it. At the very least, we should... try and overcome the despair of Akane's death, and use it as "fuel" to bolster our hope... Like Fuyuhiko did, you see."

"Don't fuck with me!" The Yakuza snapped. "I... never want to feel that feeling ever again... If I have to feel that way again... I'll make sure I stop it, even if it costs me my life...!"

"N-No, you can't!" Mikan begged. "You'll really die if you keep overexerting yourself!"

"It's... just a little life Peko gave me... It's not precious anyway...!"

"You stupid idiot!" Nekomaru snapped. "That's exactly why you need to take care of it!"

"...Huh?"

"He's right." Maki agreed. "To say it isn't precious... Are you saying Peko's sacrifice was in vain?"

Fuyuhiko couldn't respond.

Maki sighed. "I just need a second... There's a way out of this... I just need to-"

"You stay back too, Maki..." Nekomaru warned. "That goes to the rest of you as well...! I'll take it from here...! This is NEKOMARU NIDAI's final firework! Make sure you sear it into your eyes!"

Monokuma turned his gaze from the crowd back to Akane, and pulled out an arm cannon. "Now then, it looks like everyone's here, so I might as well finish this! Didn't I say I won't allow any rule violations against me? This... is what happens when you break the rules! Disappear!"

He fired a missile straight ahead. Akane flinched, preparing for the final attack to collide with her. But it never did. At the last second, Nekomaru jumped forward and took the hit, using his large body to shield Akane.

The explosion lit up the whole area in a white light, temporarily blinding the students. There was only one voice that cut through the deafening boom. "...N-Nekomaru!"

When the light faded and the students could see again, they were met with a gruesome sight. Nekomaru laid on the ground, with a cave where his gut should've been, and burn marks along the rest of his body. Blood seeped into the sand under him, painting the beach a deep crimson. Akane knelt at his side.

"N-Nekomaru... Why did you... s-save...?"

"Ha... Isn't it obvious...?" He managed to choke out. "Supporting their athletes... is... a manager's duty... H-However... Wh-What a shame... For someone like NEKOMARU NIDAI... to... It was just a little shot from a bazooka... I really am the worst... Heh... hehe... hah..."

"G-Get ahold of yourself! Nekomaru!" She looked like she wanted to hit him, but was too afraid of further damaging him.

"Akane... The time I've spent with you... i-it... it wasn't so bad... Don't... die... Akane..."

"...Kh! N-... Nekomaruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

As Akane's cries filled the night sky, Nekomaru's body slumped, the last of his energy leaving him. The whole time, he never stopped smiling.

"Are... you kidding me...?" Hajime managed to say.

"Wha-...? Wha-Wha-Wha...? Holy craaaaap...!" Even Monokuma was surprised. "Instead of the rule violator... Akane... What a major failure! I ended up killing Nekomaru, who had nothing to do with this!"

"H-Hold on..." Akane shouted. She had the side of her head pressed against Nekomaru's chest. "I-It's faint... but his heart is still beating...! He's not dead yet!"

"...Eh!?" Mikan ran forward.

"Then you gotta hurry and treat him!" Monomi told Monokuma.

"Hey Monokuma... You can do something about this, right...!?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Save Nekomaru like you saved me!"

"Th-That's right...! If you kill someone who didn't violate the rules, that makes you the one who violated the rules!"

Monokuma looked between the two of them and shrugged. "Then let's just say we're even!"

"...Huh?"

"In exchange for forgiving Akane for breaking the rules, let's just say Nekomaru was the sacrifice... So isn't it okay to say we're even!?"

"Y-You're not gonna save him!?"

"Jeez... guess I have no choice. It's annoying, but it'd be boring if he died a meaningless death... Sooooo... for today only, I'll activate my special trump card."

Once again, the students could hear a distant siren. An ambulance appeared out of nowhere, and a Monokuma with a stethoscope came out.

"...Ha-wa-wa!? This again!?" Monomi asked.

"Just leave the rest to me: Doctor Killgood!"

"He even recycled the same line again!"

Once again, two Monokumas carrying a stretcher came out and started loading Nekomaru onto it. "We gotta get this patient to the Monokuma Hospital ER and get him under 24 hour observation, stat! Soooo, I'll see you later!"

Finally, the Monokumas and Nekomaru all entered the vehicle as it disappeared from sight.

"What... the hell...?" Hajime muttered. "Why did this... happen...?"

"Fuyuhiko finally returned to us..." Sonia sobbed. "I cannot believe Nekomaru is gone now..."

"N-No... more... I can't stand this... anymore!" Mikan cried.

"Hey, can you stop yelling?" Hiyoko asked. "Screaming won't help, you know!"

"C-Cause... 'cause 'cause 'cause...!"

"This isn't 'cause! This is what happens when we let our guard down! All this talk about everyone getting along... We were just fooling ourselves. We were... just pretending we understood the situation we're in... Teamwork, friendship, cooperation... Nothing matters... The stupid ones will just be killed one after another... It won't be a mystery when you're eventually betrayed... That's why I'm never gonna rely on anyone... That's... the "reality" here."

"A-Are you saying it is meaningless for us to even work together...?" Sonia asked.

"If it really did have meaning, Nekomaru wouldn't have ended up like that! He ended up like that... because of his weird feelings of friendship..." She turned to Akane. "...Hey, you understand too, right? When the stupid ones try to act on their own, it makes trouble for everyone else. So can you please not involve me? I don't wanna die a meaningless death."

"H-Hiyoko, blaming Akane will not help solve anything."

"We don't... hafta worry about coach Nekomaru..." Akane assured them.

"...Huh?"

"Man, that's disappointing..." Hiyoko groaned. "It's all your fault and you're not even worried about him..."

"A-Akane... you're not worried about Nekomaru...?" Mikan asked.

"There's no need to worry about worryin'!" She snapped. "I know coach Nekomaru is a monstrous guy. There's no way he's gonna die from somethin' like that... There's no doubt! Nekomaru is definitely gonna come back! S-So... when that happens... I'll make sure... I apologize to him. Cause I was too weak, and I caused him trouble... So when he comes back... I'll make sure... to say I'm sorry."

"A-Akane..." Hajime muttered.

Maki, who had been standing away from the group, staring out to sea for the last few minutes, finally turned and started walking. "Come on, let's go. We can talk about this in the morning if we need to."

Her command was cold and tired, but commanding all the same. No one argued. Everyone slowly made their way back to their cottages, the cheery mood thoroughly shattered.

* * *

**Nekomaru's one of my favourite characters from DR2, yet it's taken me this long to get around to having him and Maki share an on-screen interaction. Guess that just goes to show how many interesting characters there are in DR2, I'm constantly struggling to pick which ones for her to talk to. Still, Nekomaru's a wholesome guy, which is just what Maki's in the mood for. And just in time for him to "die," too!**

**Albert's finally putting his detective skills to use, which is just as well, since we're almost halfway through the game and he needs to figure it out before the finale. We also gain some insight into what he was like before the Tragedy (though it's not too hard to figure that out, just imagine how he would've been if he never got character development in the first story). And hopefully, things will keep going good so Chiaki can get her positive attitude back, because I'm actually getting kinda sad having to write depressed Chiaki.**

**In the next chapter, Monokuma will announce his motive.**


	21. Chapter 20

**I consider this chapter to be the Ultimate Irony, given both current events in the world (for future readers, this came out during the "coronavirus" pandemic), and the fact that I caught a fever this weak. Typical, really.**

**Also, Chapter 20 already? AE:AH would be done by this point. Actually, if we're counting words, I've already passed it. And we're getting pretty close to the point Another Hope was at, so I was correct when I said this would be a long project. No wonder I'm starting to think "Just let me get to DR3 already!"**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**Infected**

As usual, Hajime made his way to the restaurant the next morning. He had nothing better to do, and admittedly, he needed to have contact with other people, to share his anxious feelings regarding the night before. As he climbed the stairs leading to the restaurant, however, he stopped for a moment. He could hear quiet sobs coming from above him.

"Is someone crying inside?" He wondered aloud. "Mikan...? Or is it Hiyoko...?" He continued upward.

He was surprised when he found Akane, coiled up in the corner with her face in her arms, tears falling through the cracks.

"...Huh!? A-Akane...? You're the one... who's crying...?"

In response to the new voice, Akane wailed. "I-I... I'm scared... What's... gonna happen to us...? Waaaaaaaaaah! I'm scared!"

Hajime took a step back and looked at the other faces in the room. A few feet away was Maki, who stood awkwardly, unsure of how to comfort the crying girl. Hiyoko stood near her, and was keeping a watchful eye on Nagito, who appeared to simply be enjoying his breakfast.

Deciding to gather more information, Hajime made his way over and asked, "Hey, what happened to Akane? Isn't she acting kind of weird?"

"...Hajime, be careful!" Nagito shouted suddenly. "That's probably not the real Fuyuhiko!"

"...Huh?"

"I know. The real Fuyuhiko is already dead. That's why that's probably... Fuyuhiko's clone!"

"Y-You... what are you saying?" Hajime asked.

"Also, I heard from Monokuma that Nekomaru couldn't be saved. It's unfortunate but... a transfer student is apparently going to come soon as a replacement... So let's all give that person a warm welcome!"

"You... are you messing around?"

"I'm not messing around! I always speak the truth! In order to prove it... I'll explain it specially to you... Listen carefully, Hajime! I've finally discovered who the traitor is! You know, the true identity of World Ender... The traitor who was hiding among us is... Maki!"

The Criminologist shook her head. "He's been like this all morning. So has she. I'm not sure what's up with them."

"...Hey... It's definitely best if we keep Nagito tied up." Hiyoko said bitterly. "No, not just tied up... I won't be satisfied until I peel the skin off his face and expose the meat so we can't identify him anymore..."

"Th-That doesn't sound very gentle... Did he do something to you?" Hajime asked.

"That idiot... he lied to me about Mahiru being alive and said he saw her at the movie theater..."

"Why... why is he telling such a pointless lie?"

"I don't know... I... I hate being lied to... I won't feel satisfied until all his joints are bent at awkward angles!"

Before anyone could respond to that, a new voice entered the dining hall.

"Pardon me everyone, but do you happen to have some time to spare!?" Ibuki entered, standing tall and giving a stiff, awkward salute. "It may be rude of me, but I would like to say my greetings first thing in a morning! Good morning! I look forward to working with you all today!"

"I-Ibuki...?" Hajime asked.

"Yes! I am Ibuki Mioda!"

"A-Aren't you... acting strange, too...?"

"Be careful Ibuki!" Nagito snapped. "Hajime's dangerous. He wants to kill you and eat you."

"Wh-What are you saying!?"

"Mr. Hajime! I am not tasty! Please do not eat me!"

"He's obviously lying!"

"I see! So it was a lie!"

"I'm sorry, I'm still reeling from the fact that Ibuki just said "Good morning" to me without putting a spin on it." Maki said. "Akane, Ibuki, Nagito... What the hell is this?"

"Did they go crazy or something?" Hiyoko suggested. "It wouldn't be strange to go crazy in a situation like this."

"Th-That's not it!" Mikan suddenly entered, seemingly having followed Ibuki. She was panting. "I-Ibuki... she has an extremely high fever. That's... probably the cause..."

Hiyoko raised a hand. "Before you start talking, I want you to tell me something: who the hell are you?"

"Wh-Why have you forgotten me!? I'm Mikan Tsumiki!"

"Now's really not the time, Hiyoko." Maki growled before stepping over and putting her hand on Ibuki's forehead. Almost immediately, she recoiled. "Woah, that's hot... Like, really hot."

"That's right! She has a terribly high fever!" Mikan repeated.

Hajime stepped over to the Gymnast. "Akane, let me feel your forehead too!"

She sobbed. "...I'm sorry I'm so weak..."

Her forehead was abnormally hot, more than should be normal for the human body. Hajime turned. "Nagito! You too...!"

"I don't have a fever. I feel extremely great today!" Disregarding his words, Hajime placed a hand on his forehead. He received the same results.

"Huh? All three of them have fevers?" Hiyoko asked. "Then the reason those guys are saying such wacky stuff is..."

"My goodness! That's obviously bad!" Monokuma said as he appeared.

"Monokuma...!" Hajime gasped. "For him to appear right now, does that mean this is...?"

"Whoa there, can you wait just a second for the explanation? The others are on their way, too!"

Pounding footsteps betrayed the approach of the rest of the class. Soon, the dining hall was full.

"I heard it from Monokuma..." Fuyuhiko explained between breaths. "Looks like... something strange's going on again?"

"Did... something happen, you guys?" Chiaki asked.

"Looks like everyone's here!" Monokuma cheered. "Now then, let's start with the explanation..."

"H-Hold on!" Monomi interrupted as she arrived. "Monokuma! You're pulling a prank again, aren't you!? And what happened to Nekomaru!? Hurry up and return him first, you robber bear!"

Monokuma paused as he tried to place the name. "Nekomaru... are you talking about the boy who turns into a woman when he gets splashed with water?"

"Who the heck is that!? Nekomaru doesn't have a weird ability like that!"

"Jeeez! Shuuuut up!" Monokuma snapped his fingers and Monomi was blasted back.

"I don't even know what's been done to me, but I feel a mysterious life energyyyyyy!"

"Now that I've shut up the nuisance, let's go back to the topic at hand. Though... I'm pretty sure you guys have already noticed since you're all so quick-witted!"

"So... it's just as I thought... the true identity of this high fever is..." Hajime muttered.

"That's right, this is the new motive that I've given you! This is the Despair Disease!"

"...Despair Disease?" Hiyoko repeated.

"...You know, there are extremely tiny insects that can't be seen with the naked eye living on this island... It's not like I added them recently. I just never told you about them. Anyway, the endemic disease spread by these insects is called the Despair Disease!"

"D-Despair Disease... I've never heard of... such a thing...!" Mikan said.

"Then lemme tell you about it! As the name suggests, the Despair Disease is... A reaaaally annoying disease where you get a high fever, along with various symptoms that are full of despair! Those symptoms are different based on the person... For instance, Nagito is afflicted by the Liar Disease... Akane has the Coward Disease... Ibuki has the Gullible Disease, I guess?"

Fuyuhiko groaned. "They just _had _to get symptoms that are the opposite of their normal personalities... except for Nagito..."

"Does that mean if Hiyoko got the disease, she'd become polite and caring?" Maki snarked. She coughed when the smaller girl delivered an elbow into her side.

"It's not like all you guys are down with the sickness yet... But be careful! Sometimes the Despair Disease can get passed from person to person just like a cold!"

"Y-You mean it is contagious?" Sonia gasped.

"Don't put your guard down just because you don't have the disease. It'd be awful if everyone got sick..."

"And why... is that a motive?" Chiaki asked. "Are you saying the a killing will occur soon, after everyone falls into a crazy state?"

"Isn't this quite a novel idea? A killing that occurs while everyone has a completely different personality! Think of all the murder tricks!"

"...I-Is there any way to treat it?" Hajime asked.

"Why... is there a need to treat it? I mean, this Despair Disease isn't supposed to make you suffer. It's a disease that cures your soft hearts! Your soft hearts toward killing! And with this, you can finally take the plunge and commit murderrrr!"

"You bastard, you better stop talking about this bullshit!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

Akane's sobs grew louder. "It's all my fault... I'm sorry I'm always bothering you..."

"I've decided!" Nagito announced. "As an apology, I'm going to commit murder! Are there any charcoal briquettes somewhere!?"

"Ah, I'm pretty sure I found some at the supermarket..." Mikan answered without thinking.

"S-Stop it!" Hajime pointed at the infected. "Akane, Nagito, Ibuki... you guys stay put!"

"You're wrong... I'm not Nagito... To tell you the truth... Nagito Komaeda's a fake name. I'm sorry I've kept it a secret till now."

"Oh, I see!" Ibuki nodded along as if it made perfect sense.

"She's believing him again!" Hiyoko shouted. "So serious!"

"Maaan, whatever, I feel so great today! This Despair Disease is awesome! Despair! Despair! Despair! Despair! Despair! It's amazing! You all should get it, too! We're all done for! There's no such thing as hope! We all have to die from this Despair Disease... That's... the... o... nly... way..." His eyes rolled back into his head as he collapsed, convulsing on the floor.

"N-Nagito!?" Mikan rushed to his side.

"Puhuhu, now that I've given you a new motive, how will things develop? Will the killing start after everyone gets the Despair Disease...? Or even before that...? I'm soooo excited about it, I'm just gonna stand around naked! Juuuuuust kidding... I'm always naked." With that, he disappeared.

"H-Hey!" Hajime called after him, but he didn't return.

"Th-This is bad!" Mikan cried. "Nagito is foaming at the mouth!"

"She's right! I've never even seen foam that colour before!" Hiyoko shrieked.

"It's an ephemerally rare colour... normally only found in the depths of the Netherworld sea...!" Gundham gasped.

"In this case, the colour doesn't matter, so let's hurry him over to the hospital!" The Nurse ordered.

"...Got it! I'll help out!" Hajime scooped up the Luckster in his arms.

"Um... what should we do about Akane and Ibuki!?" Sonia asked.

"We're definitely going to bring them too..." Fuyuhiko said. "We don't know what they'll do if we leave them alone... Hey bastards, can you walk?"

"Allow me to confirm!" Ibuki cheered. "I just have to alternate the movements of my left and right legs, correct!?"

With a wail, Akane scrambled to her feet. "...Hold on... I-I'll walk so don't leave me...!"

"Th-Then... let's go!" Hajime said.

* * *

"I-I... will go make the infected change their clothes, and then I'll have them sleep in the patient rooms." Mikan explained as they arrived at the hospital.

"Understood! So I just have to change my clothes, correct!?" Ibuki moved to undress on the spot before Maki grabbed her hand and stopped her.

Akane sobbed. "...I'm scared of changing..."

"A-Anyway! Everyone else, please wait here!" Mikan rushed the infected through the hallway door and disappeared from view. Everyone else, as instructed, remained in the waiting room.

Maki wiped sweat from her brow. The suddenness of the new motive had caught her off guard. The other students seemed concerned as well. What would Monokuma pull next? That is, if they could even make it through this.

"Dammit... I never expected us to get sick..." Fuyuhiko said what was on everyone's minds. "What's going to happen...?"

"I would not mind if Nagito retired... permanently..." Gundham added darkly.

"Don't even joke about that." Maki scolded. "The death penalty should only be used as a last resort. Nagito... just needs some professional help. Like the rest of us..."

"Hey, is this stupid conversation going to last much longer?" Hiyoko asked. "Shouldn't we be seriously thinking about what we need to do from now on and stuff? That disease sure looks dangerous. Nagito, Akane, and Ibuki aren't acting normal. If it spreads to anyone else, a killing is bound to happen."

"Based on their observed behaviour... I cannot deny that." Gundham admitted.

"But those guys aren't being considerate. I want them to at least have the decency to consider committing suicide before they start bothering us."

"H-Hey Hiyoko..." Sonia started.

"I know... it can't be that easy... So it's important to make sure we don't end up catching the disease."

""Make sure"... what do you mean?" Hajime asked.

"She's suggesting we quarantine them." Byakuya guessed.

"Q-Quarantine!?"

"If you can't cure it, the only option is to stop it from spreading..." She explained. "Even a preschooler knows that."

"B-But still... isn't isolating them... a bit too harsh...?"

"Hey, if everyone catches the Despair Disease, we won't be able to do anything about it anymore, you know?"

"It may sound harsh, but sometimes harsh action is necessary to prevent a disaster." Byakuya said.

"...H-Hold on a sec!"

"...You mean we need to quarantine them inside the hospital, right?" Chiaki asked.

"Ch-Chiaki...! Don't tell me you... also agree with this!?"

"...It's to prevent a killing. As long as that disease is Monokuma's motive, if we just ignore it... A killing _will _happen again. To prevent that, we also have to prevent the disease from spreading... That's why we need to quarantine them."

"Even if we quarantine them... Who's gonna take care of them?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Mikan's gonna stay here anyway." Hiyoko decided. "She's been touching the infected all over so it's possible she's already caught the disease."

"B-But... there's no way we can leave her by herself..." Hajime said.

"Then why don't you stay too?"

"...Huh?"

"Now that I think about it, you touched them when you took their temperature, right?"

Hajime looked down at his hand sheepishly. "...Oh."

Maki gripped one hand with the other. "I guess that means I'm staying, too. Though, to be honest, I was planning on staying from the start. I've already helped out here a few times, and I've been trying to help Mikan's... emotional state. I can't very well do that if we're separated by a quarantine."

With that, Hiyoko bowed and slowly started walking toward the door. "Soooo I'll leave the rest to you. Contact me if something happens."

"C-Contact you...? How are we supposed to do that!?" Hajime asked.

"Oh right, we need to think of a way to communicate. If we keep meeting in person, we could catch the disease."

"Hmm... Now would have been a good time for Kazuichi's talents to shine." Byakuya noted.

"Well, you guys might be able to find radios or something in the Electric Avenue." Maki offered. "It's either that, or we try to use letters and just make sure they're clean."

"Fret not... we are not going to abandon you." Gundham assured them. "I shall station myself nearby in case anything happens."

"Nearby...?"

"There is a motel on this island. Until this matter is resolved, we shall stay the night there."

"Whaaaaaat?" Hiyoko whined. "Do we really have to stay at such a dirty place?"

"What are we supposed to do if we can't immediately get here if something happens? Also... if that disease is airborne, the hotel on the 1st island might already be unsafe. We must be vigilant about protection! I have those who I must protect!" He spread his arms, and his Four Dark Devas revealed themselves.

"F-Fine... I'll just stay at the motel, okay? Jeez, how annoying."

"...Tch." Fuyuhiko clucked his tongue.

"What is it?" Byakuya asked.

"This... is obviously a trap. Monokuma's goal is to separate us as a group... Is it really okay for us to fall for that?"

"It's not like... we've stopped being friends." Chiaki pointed out. "I just don't want a killing to happen ever again... We can't prevent that if everyone gets sick, you know?"

"Right. This is still a group effort." Byakuya explained. "It's just that we need two subgroups in order to make this work."

"...Hey Hiyoko, what did you say to me earlier?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Something about me being the first one to get cut off..."

"Wh-What's... wrong with that?"

"This... this must be that moment... Mikan, Hajime, and Maki are just barely enough people..."

"...Are you saying you're going to stay here, too?"

"Huh...? You too...?" Hajime asked.

"This life of mine is a spare anyway...!"

"Fine then... do whatever you want!" Hiyoko snapped.

"Hey Fuyuhiko... are you sure? You might be endangering yourself, you know?"

"Hey... don't make me repeat myself."

Maki stepped forward. "He's a grown man, Hajime. He knows what he's getting into just as much as we do." She extended her "infected" hand toward the Yakuza. "Welcome to the team."

Forcing a cocky smile, he took her hand and shook it. Turning to the others, he said, "Whatever's happening over here, just leave it to us... We'll make sure to keep the disease from spreading..." He raised the hand he just shook with. "C'mon, shouldn't you guys head over to the motel before you catch the disease?"

"I-I am sorry we are forcing this upon you like this..." Sonia said.

"No... what everyone's saying is true... so... it's okay..." Hajime decided.

"Thank you, all of you... I won't let your feelings go to waste." Chiaki assured them. "We'll make sure to find out the mystery of the Despair Disease while you're all here... I think. Probably."

"Now then... I shall excuse myself. I am counting on you." Sonia bowed and left.

"Bye-byeeeeee! Do your best and try to stay alive!" Hiyoko encouraged.

"Goodbye for now." Byakuya said. "And please, do your best to stay alive."

With that, the crowd of students dwindled until it was only Maki, Fuyuhiko, and Hajime.

"I never expected... it would turn out like this..." Hajime muttered.

Fuyuhiko shrugged. "It's not like it's their fault... It's that bastard Monokuma's fault... Tch, I can't believe he'd actually arrange something as irritating as a disease..."

"Ah! Thank you for waiting!" Mikan rushed through the door, discarding a pair of rubber gloves. "Phew... they've finally finished changing. Everyone's resting in their rooms... Huuuuh? Why's it just you three?"

"Sorry, Mikan. We're all you have to work with." Maki explained. "We've set up a quarantine, to prevent any further chaos. The others are continuing the investigation, and agreed to drop off a radio or something later. The three of us volunteered to stay here, with you."

"O-Oh... I see." After a moment, a smile made it's way to her face. "Th-Thank you. I'll be sure to put you all to good use!"

* * *

Maki, Fuyuhiko, and Hajime all agreed to work in shifts, taking turns resting in the on-call room on the 2nd floor of the hospital.

And Maki's break period couldn't come fast enough.

She stood over Nagito, performing CPR in a desperate attempt to get his heartbeat and breathing back.

"You little fuck... "Ultimate Lucky Student," my ass... At least get me a winning lottery ticket before you go and die on me...!"

Her growls of frustration were not answered by results. However, she was saved by the bell when the door burst open behind her.

"N-Nagito! Get ahold of yourself!" Mikan dashed quickly to his side, and Maki stepped back to let her work. Turning to the door, she saw Fuyuhiko and Hajime enter.

"What the hell took you so long?" She asked the Yakuza.

He simply thumbed Hajime and said, "These two were fuckin' sleeping together."

"They were _what!?_"

Ignoring her horrified reaction, Fuyuhiko stepped closer to the bed, and saw that Nagito remained unconscious, and unresponsive. "There's... no way he died, right? The body discovery announcement isn't playing, right?"

Monokuma appeared, only for a moment, to express his restlessness at the situation.

"Dammit... he's totally waiting for it...!" Hajime muttered.

"This... looks very bad..." Fuyuhiko said.

"Just how bad is it?" Maki asked, putting a hand on Mikan's shoulder.

"Ah, ah... um..." She pointed to the boy. "It looks like... his b-breathing has returned..."

"Oh... so it has." Maki stared, fascinated by the sudden change.

"But still... his condition is unpredictable, and that's putting it lightly."

"How light is that?" Monokuma asked as he returned. "Is it sweet potato soft? If so, that's pretty light..."

"Please don't interfere!" Mikan begged.

"Hey, look. Isn't Nagito's mouth moving?" Fuyuhiko noticed.

"You're right... he might be trying to say something!" Hajime said.

"Nagitoooo! What happened!?" Mikan asked, leaning an ear over his mouth.

After a moment, Hajime asked, "...What did he say?"

"Apparently his condition has improved... and he feels quite refreshed..."

"Um... since Monokuma said that Nagito has the "Liar Disease"... He probably means the opposite... and actually feels really crappy."

"But what's going to happen if he just dies?" Fuyuhiko wondered. "We're not going to have a class trial, right?"

"Don't talk like that!" Mikan scolded. "Nagito... is never going to die! I will save him by any means necessary!"

His face fell to the floor. "I see, got it... Then I leave Nagito's life to you."

"Y-Yes!" She quickly returned to her treatment, the others in the room becoming ignored.

"If we stay here any longer... we might just get in the way..." Hajime decided.

"Then follow me." Fuyuhiko said, heading for the door. "While you were resting, the "goods" arrived. I gotta show them to you... You coming, Maki?"

She hesitated. "But, I wanted to..." She sighed. "...Yeah, I guess so."

"Let's go to the lobby."

And that's exactly where they went. As they arrived, Hajime asked the obvious question.

"Hey Fuyuhiko... What did you mean when you said "goods"?"

"Look on top of the reception desk..."

Hajime looked, and all he saw was a black rectangular box, about the size of a large book, with an antenna sticking out the top. "...Oh, a radio."

Suddenly, the speakers sparked on and the familiar voice of Byakuya was heard, with a bit of static but otherwise clear. "This is Byakuya Togami. Do you read me?"

Maki stepped over and picked up a small mic attached to the machine by a coiled wire. She pressed and button and said, "This is Maki Yugami. We read you loud and clear. Over."

"So this is our way of communication, huh?" Hajime asked.

"Yeah, that's right..." Fuyuhiko confirmed. "They found a pair of radios in Electric Avenue, like Maki suggested. It might not be much, but it'll prevent the disease from spreading."

"I trust nothing has changed too much since we left?" Byakuya asked.

Maki once again responded. "Nagito's condition was bad earlier, but we got everything under control now. How are things on your end? Over."

"Everyone's fine. Hiyoko's complaining about the motel, but that's nothing out of the ordinary."

"Tell her I want her to keep practising tying her knots. Over."

"You don't have to say "over" at the end of every message."

"I know, but it sounds more professional that way. Over."

Byakuya sighed. "In any case, this was simply a test transmission. I'll call again in the morning."

"We'll be there. Over."

With that, the conversation was over, and Maki set down the mic.

"They left this while you were resting." Fuyuhiko explained to Hajime. "Problem is, this thing is fuckin' old. The signal doesn't go too far, so it can't reach from the hospital to the motel..."

"Then... we can't communicate between the hopistal and the motel."

"He was contacting us just now from the music venue near the motel. From there, the signal reaches the hospital with no problems."

"But they're staying at the motel, right? What happens if we can't reach them when we need to?"

"I thought the same thing... so we arranged times for us to contact each other. It's set up for us to communicate 30 minutes after Monokuma's morning and evening announcements. Like he said, our next contact with them is going to be tomorrow morning. Don't sleep in."

"Heh... I guess as the heir to the yakuza, you learn a thing or two about organizing and communication." Maki noted.

"Yeah, something like that..."

At that moment, Monokuma's nighttime announcement played, reminding the three just how tired they were.

"It's that time already, huh... Now then, where should I sleep tonight...?" Fuyuhiko wondered. He turned to Hajime with a smirk. "Are you planning on using the on-call room with a certain someone again?"

"Ugh, don't even make me think about that. That's disgusting..." Maki groaned.

"Like I said... it's not what it looked like..." Hajime insisted.

"Hey hey... Aren't you misunderstanding?" Monokuma asked as he appeared. "A hospital is a facility for sick people, so it's not for lodgings or young romantic trysts, you know?"

"Y-You too!? What are you talking about...!?"

"Oh I see... Your generation has fallen out of the habit of looking at bulletin boards... C'mon, take a look at the bulletin board! There's a notice on there, right!?"

_Hospital Precautions:_

_Eating and drinking is forbidden within the hospital building. If patients do not need to be accompanied, overnight stays by non-patients are expressly forbidden._

"Right, it's like the notices you often see inside hospitals! You can't stay overnight here!"

"There is... one patient who needs to be accompanied." Fuyuhiko argued.

"Oh, you're talking about Nagito, right? Then I'll allow just one person to accompany him! The rest of you need to hurry up and get outta here!" With that, he disappeared.

""Hospital Precautions," my ass... He should've said so sooner...!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Only one person can stay the night..." Hajime muttered. "And there's no way we can make Mikan leave..."

"I guess we have no choice... We should head back to our cottages then." Fuyuhiko decided.

"You're right... even if we stay here, we probably won't be able to do anything..."

The three explained the circumstances to Mikan before they headed back to the hotel for the night.

Under the light of the stars, Maki couldn't help but look back at the hospital behind her, a worrying feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Why... am I letting myself get attached to these kids?" She wondered to herself. "Why... after all this time telling myself not to get attached... do I feel this desire to help?"

_I just want to be able to help people._

The words rang in her mind, words she had heard before.

She blinked, shook her head, and forced herself to continue on her way.

* * *

**I must say, unlike most people, I actually didn't mind the Despair Disease motive. Obviously, I think it could've been better, but I like the way it unites the class, even when it drives them to take desperate measures such as a quarantine. Plus, I'd never say no to getting to be alone with Mikan and Fuyuhiko. Uh, wait... that sounded better in my head.**

**Maki's showing her dedication to her friends, even if it seems to contradict her logic. Logic vs Emotion isn't a new theme in my stories, or even in Danganronpa, but I think Maki shows just how easy it is for our logic and emotion to be in conflict. Her logic is her greatest skill, and at the start of the story was how she made decisions, but now she's slowly started to trust her gut around her classmates. Let's see how it plays out for her, shall we?**

**In the next chapter, we'll see the consequences of this new motive. (Though, word of warning, I might disappear until I can get at least most of the trial written up. Just so I can avoid messing this one up...)**


	22. Chapter 21

**Woah, hey there. Long time no see. I wanted to get this chapter up at least a week ago but... well, my schedule slipping has kind of become the norm. On top of being an "essential worker" and having a job, the amount of rewrites I've had to do is insane by my standards. Still, here's a nice long chapter for you, and the next couple should be out before the end of the week. Though I'd probably recommend re-reading the previous one first, just to refresh your memory.**

**As if being gone for the past... wait, lemme count... eight-and-a-half weeks, wasn't bad enough on it's own, I predict this chapter to be pretty divisive. First of all, this chapter (and the next few) is a "Maki chapter," as in, most of the focus is on her. This sounds fun, but the issue is, since we're only like halfway through the story, it's too early for any big, game-changing reveals. She drops a ton of hints, but doesn't actually say anything. So I can see people getting upset on the topics she _does_ talk about, mostly her plans for the future and some personal information.**

**And secondly, well... It's no secret we're approaching the next murder (since the whole reason I disappeared was to write the three chapters in a row), so I think someone might dislike my choice for the murder this time around. I mean, I'm far from perfect, so a lot of my mysteries are lacking, and this time I'm carrying the "third case curse" again.**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Cardiac Arrest**

Hajime walked into the hospital early the next morning, and was greeted by both Maki and Fuyuhiko.

"Yo, you came early today." Fuyuhiko noted.

His eyes looked between them. "...You're the ones who're early."

"Well, we just got here..." He explained. "So what should we do? There's still a little time before we need to make contact. Wanna go to Nagito's room and check up on him?"

"Yeah... I'm worried about how he's doing."

The three of them walked down the hall to the patient room he was staying at. They found Mikan inside, quietly working away as she was the night before, but she seemed paler than usual, and her eyes were bloodshot.

"...Mikan, how's Nagito doing?" Hajime asked.

Her head snapped in their direction. "Same as usual... no, actually, he might be worse than yesterday."

"Tch, are you fucking serious...!?" Fuyuhiko groaned.

"His pulse is extremely weak... He might... slip into critical condition sometime today."

"I-Is he... that sick...?" Hajime asked.

"But... as long as I'm his nurse... I will never let Nagito die... Ever."

"I do understand how you feel but... don't overexert yourself, okay?"

"Hajime's right." Maki finally said. "Since you can't get any rest at night, you should get as much as you can during the day. The rest of us will try to keep things under control, and we'll wake you if there's an emergency. Does that sound fine?"

"Y-Yes... Thank you." She gave a soft smile.

"Hey guys... it's almost time to start the broadcast." Fuyuhiko pointed out. "We need to head over to the lobby..."

"Yeah, got it..." Hajime turned to join him.

"You two go on ahead." Maki told them. "We should have someone keeping an eye on Nagito at all times. Like Mikan said, he could slip into critical at any moment."

The group once again split up, with Maki watching the patients, Mikan going upstairs to rest, and Hajime and Fuyuhiko heading to the lobby.

As they arrived, they heard a familiar voice on the radio. "This is Byakuya Togami. Do you read me?"

"Looks like they're already waiting." Fuyuhiko noted.

Hajime stepped over and picked up the mic. "We read you loud and clear."

"It's clear on our end as well. It seems this might be a good long-term arrangement, after all."

"...Hey, are you the only one over there?" Hajime asked.

Suddenly, Chiaki's voice came through. "Nope... we're all here."

Hajime nodded, which didn't get through, and decided to tell his audience, "Well, things aren't looking good over here. To tell you the truth, Nagito's actually in serious danger."

"He's seriously wandering the border between life and death." Fuyuhiko emphasized.

"...What did you say?" Gundham's voice asked.

"First Nekomaru, and now Nagito... this isn't good..." Byakuya muttered.

"But... he is going to be okay, right? Nagito is going to get better?" Sonia's voice asked.

"Well... for now, we really can't say." Hajime said.

"You really can't say...? That's impossible!" Monomi's voice came through the radio, surprising everyone.

"Monomi! How are you on this line!?"

"She's not just on the line, she's here with us." Byakuya explained.

"Cuz... it'd be dangerous if I got close to the hospital, since I don't even know what's going on there..."

"You... are really pissing me off." Fuyuhiko warned.

"Why does a stupid stuffed animal even need to be cautious about a disease!?" Hiyoko asked from the other side.

"P-Please don't discriminate! That Despair Disease is horrible... It's a dangerous disease that can even destroy this island. So... until we figure out how to deal with it... I will be on this side..."

Fuming, Fuyuhiko took the radio and switched it off. Hajime slowly set down the mic.

"That shitty stuffed animal!" Fuyuhiko spat. "She seriously pissed me off! Argh, dammit... I'm going outside to cool off..."

He stormed out the door, leaving Hajime all alone inside the hospital lobby.

And so the second day of quarantine was off to a fantastic start.

* * *

The day, much like the day before, flew by the students. Their only constant was that, as time moved forward, they became more and more drained, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

As evening approached, things began to settle down. The infected tried to get to sleep, so the only real concern was Nagito. Maki and Fuyuhiko stood just outside his door, keeping watch on his condition while Hajime and Mikan rested upstairs.

"So, uh..." She started awkwardly.

"What's up?" Fuyuhiko asked. His expression was serious.

She was quiet for a moment before saying, "I'll be honest, I wanted to try and make small-talk, but I'm not even sure what to talk about."

He chuckled halfheartedly. "Yeah, we don't really got anything to talk about. Right now, the only thing you and I got in common is that we're exhausted."

"Yeah... I don't know, maybe we could take bets on which one of us catches the Despair Disease next."

"That sounds... needlessly depressing."

"Hey, it's better to poke fun at our situation than give into despair, right? Then again, that sounds like something Nagito would say."

They were quiet for a moment before Fuyuhiko shrugged. "Fuck, I dunno... I guess, looking at it logically, Mikan's the most likely, right? She's spending the most time with them."

Maki felt her stomach turn at the thought. "Right, yeah. I guess that's an unfair comparison. Alright, out of the three of us, who do you think's catching it first?"

He snorted. "Definitely Hajime, considering how "close-quarters" he's been with Mikan."

"I guess I walked into that one." She rolled her eyes before they turned toward the stairs. "Were they really... you know, sleeping together, last night?"

He shrugged, and answered slowly. "I mean, they were both in the same bed, by themselves, in the dark, but they had their clothes on. If Hajime denies it, I'll believe him. I'm just fuckin' with him at this point." He paused and eyed her. "Why do you ask, anyway? Jealous?"

"Heh, quite the opposite, actually. I wish I could meet more people like me..."

"Like you? In what way?"

She smirked. "What, aside from the fact that I'm basically perfect?" Her bravado faltered. "Well... I just get grossed out by stuff like that. You know... erotic stuff."

"...Didn't you hang out with Teruteru because you thought he was funny?"

"I thought he was funny in a "haha, look at the virgin trying to be a smooth flirt" way. It reminded me of my younger self, if you could believe it. And saying I "hung out" with him is an exaggeration, the only time I was alone with him was before the party."

Fuyuhiko shrugged. "Fair enough. I'll admit, I didn't pay much attention to what everyone was doing the first few days..." His expression made it seem like he wouldn't mind avoiding that subject.

The two of them slowly made their way to the lobby. "In any case... I was always told I just didn't get it because I was young, but I'm basically an adult now and nothing's changed. I've had crushes, even a couple lovers, but I've never thought about..." She trailed off awkwardly.

"So, why are you telling me this?"

"Good question. I don't know. I've been getting more talkative, I guess. I mean, I was prone to long paragraphs of monologue before, but now I... keep finding myself wanting to express myself more. It's kinda like Nekomaru said a few days ago; something about the others here is tearing down my walls. Does that make sense to you?"

"I think so. I guess situations like this have a way of bringing people together." He said dryly.

"Well, I'm sure as a yakuza, you've seen some pretty nasty situations in the past. Or at least, some subordinates did?"

"You trying to analyze me now?"

"It _is _kind of my job."

"Good point. You know, when you think about it, it's a pretty big coincidence that a criminologist and the heir to a yakuza clan both ended up in the same class, huh?"

"Yeah. I suppose you would want me to give up on my dream, since it would basically put you out of business."

"You mentioned that before, didn't you? During the last trial. What is this dream, anyway?"

Her look became distant, as if she was looking at something far beyond the walls of the hospital. "As the Ultimate Criminologist, I plan to earn myself a place in the history books by reducing Japan's crime rate to zero."

"...You know that's impossible, right?"

She nodded, not in agreement but in acknowledgement. "Japan's conviction rate is currently in the late-90 percents. This means that, innocent or guilty, if you are taken to court, there is more than a 90% chance of you being rendered guilty. True criminals will exploit flaws in the system such as this. After all, if you aren't the one initially arrested and tried, then there's more than a 90% chance of you never having to worry about the consequences of that crime again. That would be where I would focus my efforts, first. I'll revolutionize Japan's investigation teams and court systems, to ensure that innocent people will almost always go free, and criminals will almost always face justice for their actions. Then, I'll focus on taking down large organizations, such as your clan. Without the big dogs to cling onto, we'll be able to slowly stamp out the runts. By ensuring that every citizen in the country is aware of how severe and, most importantly, certain the consequences for crime are, they'll think twice before even considering breaking the law, even in more sympathetic cases. Eventually, this will reduce the amount of criminals in our country to close enough to zero for me to be satisfied."

Fuyuhiko was quiet for a while. "You make it sound pretty easy. But you know that that first step alone, "revolutionizing Japan's investigations and courts," isn't gonna be very easy, let alone all that other stuff."

"It'll probably take me my whole life to get to that point. And that's even assuming I get started as soon as we get off this island. Still, in the same way an artist spends their whole life working toward their masterpiece, I'll be able to die happy if I know I did everything I could to make this country safer."

"...Well, I guess we're not necessarily enemies just because we got opposite goals."

"I'm pretty sure that's _the definition _of being enemies."

"You know what I mean. For now, we both got the same goal. We both want off this island. So until then, we're allies, aren't we?"

A genuine smile formed on Maki's face. "Never thought I'd say this about a yakuza, but yeah. I guess we're allies."

The moment was suddenly ruined with the sound of a bell.

"Ahem! Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiiiight..."

The two stared at each other for a second. Fuyuhiko let out a sigh.

"It feels like... a lot of stuff got skipped over and now it's nighttime already..."

"Almost time for tonight's transmission."

"We should go back to our cottages when that's done. It's fuckin' annoying to keep going back and forth, though..."

"I suppose I'll go wake Mikan, then. Though I doubt it's very good for her health to have her working all night by herself."

"That's the bastard Monokuma's fault. If he didn't make those dumb fuckin' hospital rules..."

"I know. Still... I think I'll help her out for a few minutes, just to make sure she's up for it."

"Go for it. Leave this transmission thing to me. They're not gonna have a clue anyway. I can handle this."

"If you're certain..."

Maki entered the hallway. She nearly had a heart attack when she saw a silhouette standing there, illuminated by the dim lighting. She calmed a bit when she realized it was Ibuki, wandering around out of her room.

"Wh-What are you doing out here? You should be resting."

"To tell you the truth, I have been getting quite bored doing nothing but sleeping. Also... it would just trouble you if I slept all the time, so I was hoping I can help you with anything... But it's better if I am sleeping, correct!?"

"Right. If you feel bored, I don't know, just hum some of your songs or something. But don't do anything strenuous. It'll be really helpful if you get well soon."

"Yes! Understood!"

Maki sighed as the Musician returned to her room to rest. She headed toward the stairs at the end of the hall, but stopped halfway. The door to Nagito's room was open. She peeked inside, and she found Mikan working tirelessly away at caring for Nagito.

"Seems I'm late... She must've arrived while I was in the lobby." Maki muttered. She made her way inside. Mikan didn't react, completely enveloped in her work. She placed a hand on the Nurse's shoulder and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Hiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Maki stepped back, holding her ringing ears. "Okay, that one was my fault."

"Gaaaah! Please don't surprise me! I almost got wet!"

"Uh, right. Me... too?"

"Ah... did you come by to check on Nagito?"

"I was planning to check in on _you_. I know you've been resting all day, but I don't want you running yourself ragged overnight."

"U-Um... I hope... I'm not mistaken... that'd be really embarrassing... A-Are you, by chance... worried about me?"

"Yeah, that's exactly it."

"Oooh... thank you very much! I'll remember this moment until the day I die! Hehe... I've gotten my energy back, so I'll get back to taking care of Nagito."

"If you're sure. Just... don't overdo it, okay?"

But the other girl was already back to work, and Maki was ignored.

Sighing, she made her way back out into the hallway. Hajime was heading down the stairs.

"Hey, I guess it's time to head back now, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, I was just doing a last-minute check-up. Let's go."

They made their way back to the lobby, where Fuyuhiko was waiting.

"...Yo, how's Nagito doing?" The Yakuza asked.

"Fine, from what I've seen. Mikan's already attending to him. Though I'm more worried about her, if I'm being honest."

"Nagito's probably not doing so well..." He reminded her.

"What about you? Are you done with the transmission?"

"As I expected... we wrapped it up pretty quickly, like they had nothing new to report... They're apparently trying to find a cure somehow, but there hasn't been any progress."

"So on both our ends... it looks like we had no results." Hajime said.

"...Oh well. Let's look forward to tomorrow."

"Right..." Maki agreed. "Tomorrow..."

The three slowly returned to their cottages once again.

* * *

She couldn't sleep.

Every time Maki closed her eyes, she worried. About Nagito. About the other infected. About her, Fuyuhiko, and Hajime. About the others, staying at the motel. But most of all, she worried about Mikan. She was the one spending the most amount of time in contact with the infected. Even though Maki did her best to make sure she got enough rest, the fact of the matter was that the Nurse was supporting three sick people, one on death's door, every night, with very little time for rest. No matter how much rest she got during the day hours, that much work just wasn't healthy for one person.

She heard stories of long surgical procedures, some of them lasting well over 24 hours. By the end of any one where the doctor hadn't passed out, the only thing keeping them working was pure adrenaline. Obviously, Mikan was operating in better conditions than that, but how long would she be able to keep it up before she contracts the Despair Disease? Once that happened, it was over for everyone...

Maki realized she was shaking under her blanket. The image of herself contracting the disease sent a shiver through her, but she found herself just as scared at the prospect of one of her friends losing to it. The one thing she tried to avoid... growing attached to these kids... and she let it happen anyway.

She turned toward her clock. She hadn't slept at all, but it was already almost morning. The sun wasn't rising, but it was close enough to daytime that Monokuma probably wouldn't throw a fit if she arrived at the hospital. She needed something to do, someone to talk to, to steady her nerves.

She showered, dressed, and left the hotel grounds. She walked slowly, taking her time to enjoy the crisp, early-morning air. It wasn't the first time she noticed how large the island was compared to how few people lived on it, but it was the first time she felt genuinely alone. Even as she passed by the occasional security camera, she didn't pay it any mind. She didn't care anymore who was watching her on the other end. She wanted to live, and she didn't want to live in fear of being discovered. That meant... there was only one thing to do. She just hoped she would have the courage to go through with it.

Finally, she arrived at her destination, with sunrise only just beginning to crack over the horizon.

As she stepped inside, she expected Monokuma to interrupted her. He did not. He must have been feeling generous. Or perhaps he was expecting something. The only sound that filled the hospital was Ibuki's quiet humming of "From Me to You Too" coming from her room. At least, that's what Maki assumed it was, since she sort of covered her ears during the actual performance.

She made her way down the hall, to the room she was expecting Mikan to be in. Unsurprisingly, the Nurse stood over Nagito's unconscious body, and she appeared utterly exhausted.

"Hey, Mikan...?" Maki announced herself.

Mikan turned toward her, surprised to see her up so early. But her surprise was replaced with excitement. "Maki, look! Nagito's condition has stabilized!"

Maki stepped forward, and sure enough, the boy was sleeping, a relaxed expression on his face.

"So it would seem. Heh, you're a miracle worker, Mikan."

"I-It's not like he's completely cured. He was just able to recover from his critical condition..."

"Even so, it's amazing he's improved this much in one night. Without you, we'd all be goners."

"...Th-Thank you." Mikan let out an exhausted squee. "I'm so glad. I'm so relieved Nagito's finally stabilized. Waaaaaaah...! I'm sooooo glaaaaad...! Ah, I feel dizzy. Somehow... everything is spinning around me."

"That's probably not healthy. You should get some rest. I can probably take over from here. Not that Nagito really needs watching anymore."

"Then, if you insist, I will use the on-call room upstairs... You must be mentally exhausted, so it's better if you relax in the lobby instead."

"That easy to tell, huh? I'll be sure to do that. Thanks, Mikan."

"Then... even though it's the morning, good night..." Mikan said as she shakily turned to leave the room.

Maki turned to follow her, but something made her stop. She turned back to Nagito, the image of him sleeping peacefully. Nagito, who had been on the verge of death just the other day. It was truly a miracle. One of her greatest worries was suddenly just put to rest. It filled her with... hope. Hope... How long had it been since she legitimately felt the emotion? Maybe... if one of her worries could be put to rest... the others could be, too. Even if that meant making herself vulnerable.

She didn't like the way her conversation ended.

"Mikan, wait." She said suddenly.

The Nurse stopped just at the door. "Wh-What is it...? Do you need something?"

"Yes. Well, not quite, I just... I need to tell you something. I know I'm always... talking everyone to death, but this is important. Will you listen?"

"Of course... T-Tell me anything you want...!"

The other girl's nervousness was offsetting her own, at least. "You know that... I worry about you, and I want you to be happy. And I encourage you to talk to me, because I want to help you. But I feel that... I can't, in good conscience, continue to help you unless I tell you the whole truth. About me."

"Do you... not like me, after all...?" Mikan whimpered.

"N-No!" Maki corrected, a little too quickly. "Er, rather... It's sort of the opposite problem..."

"Oh... I'm glad. But... I don't think I really understand..."

Maki sighed, and started fingering her cat-ear hairband. "How do I start this? I told you before... about my confidant, right? About how you remind me of her? And that's why I wanted to help you? Well, the problem is... She wasn't just my confidant. She was also... my lover."

"L-L-Lover...?"

"That's what I said."

Mikan seemed to be considering what to say that wouldn't offend the other girl. "Um... y-you said "was," right? Wh-What... happened to her?"

"...She died."

Mikan gasped. "I-I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have pried! Please forgive me!"

"It's fine. I've moved past that. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself. But then I look at you, and I see her, and I get all confused."

"Um... Did you want me to pretend to be a pig, after all...?"

"Mikan, please. There's no need for that." Maki said firmly, meeting her eyes. "I finally realized why I'm getting confused. It's not because of you, or my confidant, or my past, or anything like that. It's me. This whole time, I've been the one running from my past. But I'm tired of running. And if that means I have to confront my past, then so be it. And... While it may be a selfish request... I want you to be there with me when I do."

"C-Confront your past...?"

"I'm going to admit all of my sins to the others. All of my crimes. All of the people who died on my watch. I... I want to stop lying to everyone here, so that we can all get off this island together. Will you... help me?"

Mikan squirmed for a moment. "I-I'm not sure how... H-How can I even help with s-something like that? I d-don't even understand what you're s-saying..."

"You don't have to do anything. All I'm asking for is your support."

"Well, um... If that's all, then... I'll do everything I can!"

Maki smiled. Before she could ask herself what she was doing, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Mikan. This took the other girl by surprise, and she flailed her arms around for a moment before deciding to return the hug.

"...Alice." The Criminologist whispered.

"What...?"

"That's... my real name. Alice Kizuki. I... changed it when I tried to run from my past. Thought "Maki Yugami" sounded cooler. But I don't want to lie anymore. Not to you."

"Alice Kizuki...? Uh... It's a cute name! V-Very... you..."

It was quiet for a little while, with both girls holding the embrace. Mikan seemed very awkward, but didn't say anything. Ibuki's quiet singing from the other room slowly died down, leaving them in silence.

Eventually, Mikan spoke again. "If it's not too much tr-trouble, um... Could you tell me s-something else...?"

"Anything."

"Wh-What you said earlier... about being confused, b-because of me... What does that mean...?"

"...I love you, Mikan. It took me this long to admit it, but I do."

"...Why?"

Maki moved back slightly, looking Mikan in the eye. "You're kind. You always put others before yourself. You act fast when you're under pressure. You're everything that I'm... not. But I swear, I'll do everything I can to protect you, and to make you happy. I-I won't let anyone insult you, or put you down, ever again."

"M-Maki? Er, Alice...?"

"Yeah?"

"A-A-Are you sure? I'm not trying to say you would lie like this, but..."

Maki leaned forward, silencing the other girl with her own lips. It was perhaps not the most romantic place for a first kiss, a run-down hospital room with an unconscious Nagito just a few feet away, but she didn't care. For the first time in forever, she didn't have to pretend to be someone else. She was listening to her heart rather than her mind. She had hope for her future.

When the kiss finally ended, they were quiet for a moment before Maki giggled like a schoolgirl. "You were my first kiss. I never even thought about having one. How funny that I'd have it here, of all places."

Mikan was quiet for a while, probably due to shock, but she eventually asked, "Y-You... never kissed your last lover?"

"No. It's a rare thing for me. Hugging like this is usually enough. Although... I can't deny that that felt good. With you, I mean."

If the Nurse wasn't blushing yet, she certainly was now. "H-Hugging is fine... I've never really been h-hugged like this before. I like it."

"Then... do you...?"

"...I think... I-I love you, too... At least... I wouldn't mind trying to... to..."

"To date me?"

"Well, it's just... I-I'm not sure how to d-date someone. I've never d-done it before..."

Maki laughed. "I'm not exactly an expert, myself. I guess we'll just have to figure things out as we go along." After a brief pause, she added, "I'm sorry. I kept you up. You should really get some rest now."

"O-Oh, right..." Mikan separated their embrace, and headed for the door. "Um, in that case, good night-... Uh, sorry, but, what should I call you?"

Maki thought it over for a moment. "I suppose it's fine if you start calling me Alice now. Even in public. After all, I want to confess everything once the group's back together. I might as well start with my name. Of course... I wouldn't object if you wanted to give me a pet name."

"O-Oh, okay! Um... good night, sweety!"

"Heh, can't go wrong with the classics, I guess. Good night, uh... angel... dust. No, wait, that's a drug. Um... Y'know what, I'll think of something clever later. Sweet dreams, Mikan."

With that, they went their separate ways. The Nurse went down the hall and up the stairs at the end, while the Criminologist headed back to the lobby, practically skipping the whole way.

She stared out the window at the rising sun. Fuyuhiko and Hajime would be arriving soon. Would she tell them everything then, she wondered. Of course, they would need to know that Nagito was stabilized, and that would probably be a huge relief to them. How would they react when she told them of her past? Probably negatively, but she wasn't scared. Mikan would be at her side. How would they react when she told them her new relationship with Mikan?

She giggled. "I'm thinking like... well, like a teenage girl. Which is fine, I guess. I lost out on a few years, anyway..."

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by the radio sparking to life.

"That's odd. It's still really early." She thought. She took a step forward, but stopped when she heard it.

Ibuki's singing was coming from the other end. There was no doubt about it, it sounded identical to the singing Maki had heard mere minutes ago. But that wasn't all. In the background, she could hear quiet sobs. It had to be Akane. There was no doubt. The two sounds at the same time provided an eerie atmosphere, and Maki felt a chill run up her spine. She had only one question in her head. _Why are these two at the music venue?_

"No... Not again. I can't let it happen again!" She dashed out the front door of the hospital, and down the road toward the music venue. She barely even heard the Monokuma Morning Announcement as it played behind her. Sweat ran down her face, and her heart hammered away inside her chest, but she didn't dare slow down.

* * *

When she reached her destination, she shoved her shoulder against the front door, causing it to burst open. But it didn't matter how quickly she ran, or how forceful of an entrance she made. She was too late.

A single figure hung above the stage by a noose, wearing only a hospital gown and outlined only by a single spotlight. The face was completely unobscured, and Maki could make out the pained expression that represented the final moments of suffering. There was no mistaking who she was staring up at.

The Ultimate Musician, Ibuki Mioda, was dead.

"No... No!" Maki was breathing heavily, and found it hard to with all the hot air that met her inside. "Why... why is it so hot...? No, that doesn't matter! The others... I need to tell the others!"

She turned on her heel and dashed for the motel.

It took her another few minutes to reach it, and as she arrived, she started shouting bloody murder for someone to come to her.

The first person to make an appearance was Gundham. He huffed when he saw her. "I was wondering who was making such infernal racket... so it was you."

"G-Gundham..." She wheezed. "It happened again..."

"Don't tell me... Do you intend to spread the pathogenic bacteria so you can take us all down with you!? I won't let youuuuu! If you want to pass, you must defeat me first!"

As if things couldn't get any worse, Monomi appeared. "What happened? Is there a problem? Fighting is not allowed!"

"No, it's too late..." Maki muttered. "The problem... there's a body!"

"...Huh?"

"A body! There was a murder at the music venue!"

"B-B-B-Body... Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Could it be..." Gundham muttered. "Do you intend to spread lies, like Nagito, in order to confuse us all?"

"...Hold on." The voice of Chiaki called out as she joined them. "...Maki, is that true?"

"Of course it is! Why would I lie now?"

"Chiaki, you have seen Nagito's condition, yes? This fiend just has the same symptoms as him."

She considered this for a moment. "...But there's no way we shouldn't check it out. Cuz, if Maki is telling the truth... That means... it happened again, right?"

"A k-killing!?" Monomi gasped.

"If that's true... we need to check it out."

Gundham shrugged. "If that is the case... I will not stop you. Leave this place to me... and you fiends go on ahead! Hmph, no need to worry... I will catch up with you easily..."

"Th-That sounds like... famous last words..." Monomi muttered.

Maki shook her head and turned to Chiaki. "You're coming?"

"Yeah, it's better if we hurry, right?"

With that, the two girls dashed back to the music venue as fast as they could.

They didn't make it far before they ran into Mikan. "Ah, Maki!"

"Mikan? What are you doing here?"

"Perfect timing! Please help us, Maki!"

"Help... us?" It was then that Maki noticed Fuyuhiko and Hajime, running up behind Mikan.

"Maki and Chiaki...?" Fuyuhiko said. "What... are you guys doing here?"

"I could ask the same for you!" Maki snapped.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm looking for Ibuki and Akane!"

"Ibuki...? Akane...?"

"Um... I was planning to rest in the on-call room... but I wanted to check on everyone before I did that..." Mikan explained. "A-And... Ibuki and Akane are missing from the hospital all of a sudden..."

"You guys didn't... see the music venue?"

"Music venue?" Hajime repeated.

The Criminologist shook her head, growing increasingly frustrated as the moments passed. "No more questions! Follow me!"

The others had no time to respond before she sprinted down the road. They had no choice but to follow her lead.

By the time they reached the parking lot, Fuyuhiko was wheezing. "M-My wound hasn't completely healed yet... Don't make me... run too much..."

"Are Ibuki and Akane inside here?" Chiaki asked, seeing where this was going.

"As they say... seeing is believing..." Maki stepped up to the door and pushed. It clattered against her. "...Huh?"

"What the heck? Why's it locked?" Hajime asked.

"I-I... It was open just a few minutes ago!"

"Th-Then... why don't we try from another entrance..." Mikan suggested.

"This is the only entrance to the music venue." Chiaki noted. "There isn't even a window we can go through..."

"But... why is it locked...?" Hajime asked.

"I don't understand it myself but... If it won't open, the only thing we can do is force our way through!" Fuyuhiko decided.

"Mmmm, I wonder if that's gonna be possible." Chiaki said. "Of the five of us, three of us are girls, you know?"

"It doesn't matter if you can do it or not!" He snapped. "We have to try! Let's go, we'll all charge at the same time! Ready, set... Gooooooooo!"

All five of them charged the door at the same time. It smashed open under their weight.

Then suddenly, there was a scream. Mikan screamed and nearly collapsed. The others silently stared in horror at the scene. Even Maki. She knew what was coming, expected to see the body. She was hoping there wouldn't be a second.

The other figure was pinned against a pillar on the far side of the stage by about a dozen arrows. The bloodstained hospital gown and dried tears told the story of their torturous final moments. Compared to the clean, bloodless Ibuki, this sight was quite a shock. Maki felt fear and, along with her sense of failure and guilt doubling down upon her.

Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast, was dead.

* * *

**Talk about mood whiplash.**

**Okay, so, as I mentioned at the top of this chapter, I predict this to be pretty divisive. So, allow me to use this space to walk you through my thought process.**

**First of all, yeah, I let Ibuki die but spared Hiyoko. Why did I do this? Well, in-universe it's because it's part of the murder, so you'll have to wait and see, but if you want me to give a more immediate reason... I also think Hiyoko has a lot to offer. Her character development gets cut short in canon, so I'd like to try and mend that. Of course, I never said she _wasn't_ going to die, just that she lives beyond this point. Do with that what you will.**

**Unfortunately, someone had to die, and Ibuki and Akane fit the bill. I've seen quite a few people saying they wish Akane hadn't survived, and while I definitely don't hate her, I will admit that she doesn't bring as much to the table as the others. And Ibuki, while fun, doesn't really strike me as "endgame" material. As in, I can't see her making it to the end. Compared to the other candidates I had in mind for this murder, well... These two were the best choice, in my mind. Now excuse me while I cry for a bit.**

**On a less gruesome topic, but one I still think is worth bringing up: I finally wrote my first shot at romance. Let me know what you think about that, I guess. Why did I decide to do this? Well, it ties into Maki's development as she slowly (read: rather quickly) becomes more open with others about herself, and starts doing her best to help people. Mikan's just about as helpless as you can get. Plus, it feels in-character for them. Mikan's so desperate for affection, she'll take it from anyone, and Maki... well, I wrote Maki, so I get to decide what's in-character for her. And, as always, regardless of how you feel about it, I promise I'm going somewhere with this shit.**

**In any case, the next chapter should be up in a few days, assuming my schedule doesn't slip again. In it, we'll begin the investigation.**


	23. Chapter 22

**Oh boy, part 2 of the "Maki chapters," where the focus is on Maki just enough to not spoil future reveals! This time: investigation addition!**

**Remember when the investigation chapter for the first murder was 8k words, and I was like "LOL, not doing that again!" Well, I did it again. To be fair, I did do my best to trim some fat, but I still wanted to include all the important evidence. As usual, I predict at least some readers will figure out who the killer is. I'll admit I do care more about the impact the mystery has on the story than I do about how impressive the mystery itself is. So, y'know, if it seems overly obvious to you, or if you can't figure it out for the life of you, the important part is that you have fun.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**A Song of Silence**

"A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

"A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Maki took a step back. Two body discovery announcements in a row... That meant...

"Wh-What... what is thiiiiis!?" Mikan shrieked.

"Ibuki and Akane...!?" Fuyuhiko gasped.

"Could it be... two victims?" Chiaki asked.

"That doesn't make sense...!" Maki growled. "I-Ibuki's body was the only one here when I arrived earlier... Akane wasn't here! Not even ten minutes passed! How..."

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Monomi screamed as she arrived, causing the others to jump. "Wh-What is thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssss!? Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible... It's impossible for killings to happen on this island..."

"Shut up, idiot!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"For now... we should lower Ibuki to the ground." Chiaki decided. "Leaving her like that... is just too sad."

"Y-Y-Yessssssssss...!" Mikan squealed. "Ah, but... what about preserving the scene of the crime?"

"...Who fucking cares about that!?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Th-There's a control panel for the baton lighting on the wing of the stage... you can lower the body with that..." Monomi explained.

"...That one!" Fuyuhiko dashed over and took control. Slowly but surely, the body of the Musician was lowered to the ground. The others carefully removed the noose from around her neck, and laid her gently on the floor.

"U-Ughhh... it's all my fault..." Mikan sobbed. "If only I did a better job... watching over Ibuki..."

Maki put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mikan. No one could have predicted this. There's only one person we can blame for this..."

"Jeez! It feels like someone died in here or something." Monokuma said as he arrived.

"So you finally showed up!" Monomi snapped. "The root of all evil!"

"How dare you call your big brother the root of all evil! I even went to the trouble of bringing everyone for you!"

Before the others could respond, the rest of the students ran through the doors of the music venue.

"Wh-What is this...!?" Byakuya asked.

"I-Ibuki... and Akane!?" Sonia shrieked.

"What the-!? It happened again!?" Hiyoko gasped.

"Tch... So two people have been killed...!" Gundham muttered.

"Whoa there... That's not all." Monokuma cut in. "I've also summoned the last person who was at the hospital."

"The last person..." Hajime repeated.

Nagito was sad as he entered the music venue, now dressed in his day clothes. "Looks like another serious incident occurred while I was unaware."

"Nagito... are you okay!?"

"Huh? Of course."

"What do you mean, "of course"!?" Mikan asked.

"Are you talking about the Despair Disease?" Monokuma asked. "Jeez, you guys. That stuff is totally over now."

"O-Over...!?" Monomi gasped.

"Yeah, cuz I got bored."

"For that silly reason!?"

"And now that the killing has started, there's no need to keep that motive around anymore. Yeahhhh... that Despair Disease is gone now, so you don't have to worry about it anymore."

"Wh-What the heck...? That's impossible...!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "How can you spread a disease and cure it so easily...?"

"Aw, who cares about the itty-bitty details? What matters is that it's already been cured. Sooooo let's go back to our main topic and proceed as usual! The Monokuma File!" He produced ten small tablets and handed them out to the students. "Puhuhu, I'll be waiting at the class trial. Do your best to investigate." With that, he disappeared.

Sonia was visibly pale. "A-Again...? We... have to do this again..."

"We have no choice." Gundham said. "Like last time... if this means one of us killed these two... Then... we cannot let this be."

Mikan was still quietly sobbing away. "Uh... gh... wh-why do we... have to do... this...!"

"I know it's horrible, but we have to." Maki said. "I have to make sure the one who did this pays for it, but I need your help to do it."

Mikan nodded at her encouragement, but couldn't stop her tears.

While some of the others seemed content to let her cry it out, Hiyoko spoke up. "Oh, quit whining! Do you think any of us wanna do this, either!?"

Maki was about to say something she would probably regret, but Hajime interrupted. "B-But... what about Nekomaru? What's going to happen to him? Is he not going to participate this time? Is that even allowed?"

"Please leave Nekomaru to me!" Monomi assured them. "Everyone must focus on investigating, so I must do my very best! All righty! I will definitely bring back Nekomaru and win everyone's trust!" With that, she disappeared, leaving the students to their own devices.

"It seems we should leave Nekomaru to Monomi." Sonia decided.

"What about guarding this area? Do we still need it?" Hajime asked.

"We can't be too careful." Maki said. "Still... with Akane dead and Nekomaru out, we can't exactly rely on the powerhouses."

"Um... it's better if I stay here, right?" Mikan asked. "I should perform the autopsy again, right?"

"...I guess I'll stay, too." Fuyuhiko said. "It takes two people to guard a crime scene, right?"

"Then let's get started." Chiaki said. "So we... can end this nightmare for good."

"...I wasn't gonna say anything, but..." Hiyoko started. "Why is it so hot in here?"

Maki tugged at her collar. "You're right. I noticed that when I discovered Ibuki, too. It was sweltering in here. Does this place have a heater or something?"

"Ugh, it's seriously super hot! I'm gonna investigate somewhere else..." With that, Hiyoko and a few other students left the music venue.

Hajime considered the heat for a moment before shaking his head. "No... before that, I need to check the Monokuma File first."

Everyone turned their attention to the Files.

_There are two victims this time: Ibuki Mioda and Akane Owari._

_Ibuki Mioda's cause of death was a crushed windpipe as a result of choking. There are no other external injuries._

_Akane Owari's cause of death was blood loss due to multiple stab wounds all throughout the body._

"...It's strange... Why did the killer kill two people?" Chiaki wondered.

"Huh?"

"I was just about to bring that up, myself." Maki said. "The more people you kill, the more clues you leaves behind. Why take that risk? Well, there's always the chance that there are two killers, and they each needed to become blackened. But... well, from one look at this crime scene, I believe we're looking at the work of a single psychopath. So the reason is... this sick bastard didn't kill for survival. They're playing with us."

There was a moment of silence as the rest of the class absorbed that statement. Finally, Chiaki said, "Regardless, something like this shouldn't be forgiven... so... I will definitely find the truth behind this case... That's what I think."

Maki nodded. "Alright, gang. Let's get to it." And everyone took their cue to branch off and start looking around.

However, before she moved on to begin her investigation, Maki knelt down to the girl beside her. Mikan was still sobbing. "Fyuuu... If only I'd noticed sooner, Ibuki might've been saved..."

"Mikan, look at me. We need to work together to set this right. Can you tell me when you realized Ibuki was missing?"

"Um... After our talk, I went to the on-call room... and that's when it came to me... That I should go check on how everyone in the hospital is doing... one more time before I go to sleep. And so, I went to the patient rooms... and... noticed that Ibuki was gone... So... I quickly ran out of the hospital..."

"I see..."

"And then... I saw Hajime and Fuyuhiko in front of the hospital, so I asked them if they could help me look for Ibuki... Huh? That reminds me, where were you? I thought you were resting in the lobby..."

Maki fingered her cat-ear hairband. "That's a bit of a long story..."

"A-wa-wa! I'm sorry! I-It's not like I doubt you or anything! Th-There's no way I'd doubt you. 'Cause... we've been together... since this morning... and... I-I love you..."

She blushed and averted her eyes. "I love you, too. Now, uh... let's save the mushy talk for later. The point is, we've got airtight alibis for each other." She thought for a moment. "Although... if I'm being honest, I think I'd rather have you doubt me than know that you're letting your emotions cloud your judgement. Is that... weird? Like I said, I'm not very experienced in dating."

"I don't think it's weird, but... I think I would prefer to trust you, no matter what..." Mikan's eyes wandered back to Ibuki's body. "Um... is it all right if I start my autopsy...? If you... talk to me again later, I'll tell you what I know..."

"Sounds like a plan. Until then, try not to let me distract you too much."

The two girls exchanged a short embrace before going their separate ways. It might have been her nerves, but Maki felt the other's eyes on her. She did her best to ignore them as she made her way over to Fuyuhiko and Hajime.

As she approached, she overheard their exchange. "Hey Hajime... take a look at this."

"Hm? What?"

"Look what's in front of the door."

A few feet in front of the door lay a small wooden stick, broken in half. "This... is a drumstick, right? And it looks like it's broken... What happened to it?"

"If something like that is in front of the door... You think it might be a really big clue?"

Hajime's face was blank. "...Why would this be a clue?"

"Remember when we came to the music venue?"

"The door was locked when we tried to go inside, and the five of us charged into the door..."

"But... when I examined it, I found out that this door doesn't have a lock at all. The door is designed to be pushed open... And this is the shape of the handle..."

"You're saying the killer barred the door with a drumstick?" Maki asked.

Fuyuhiko turned to her. "The broken drumstick on the floor in front of the door should be proof of that..."

"But then, how did the killer escape?"

"...Huh?"

"If the door was locked from the inside, then the killer wouldn't be able to use it to leave. But there are no other avenues of escape. They'd be locked in."

"Maybe... The killer was still inside when we broke down the door to the music venue... And they waited until we were already at the scene of the crime to join us...? You know, don't they use tricks like that a lot in mystery dramas and stuff?... If that's the case, there might be evidence of that around here somewhere. All right, I'm definitely gonna find it...! I won't let the killer get away with this...!"

Pumping himself up, Fuyuhiko went off to investigate further inside the music venue. Maki and Hajime thought about what he suggested.

"...I heard what you three were discussing." Chiaki said, joining them with some dramatic flare.

"Chiaki... That was a kinda cool entrance..." Hajime said.

"Besides the broken drumstick, I've also discovered something interesting."

"What is it?"

She lead them over to the open doors, and pointed out her findings. "Look, there's a weird glob where the right and left door touch, see?"

"You're right... What is this? It looks too firm to think it's rubber..."

"Yeah, it doesn't look like rubber, but..." The Gamer knelt down and scraped off some of the goop with her finger, and stuck it in her mouth. "...Nom."

Maki and Hajime each took a step back. "Why are you putting it in your mouth!?"

"Mmm..." She chewed it a few times. "Ah, it smells like workshop chemicals."

"Workshop...?"

"And... this chewiness... I see... this thing may be a glob now, but that doesn't mean it was a glob from the start... For instance... if it was originally a liquid that hardened into this... It might be possible to apply it directly and smoothly in the gaps of the door."

"Wh-What are you talking about...?"

She chewed another few times before spitting the chemicals from her mouth. "...Just as I thought, it tastes nasty." With that, she walked off to continue her investigation.

"That was certainly... a hands-on approach." Maki said.

"Besides that bit about the taste... it's okay to consider this some kind of clue, right?"

"I believe so." Before Maki could move on herself, she saw yet another person approach her.

"Maki... this may be impudent of me to ask but... Will you listen to what I have to say?" Nagito requested.

"...Sure."

"I heard that you witnessed the incident from the very beginning, right? Can you provide me with a summary of the incident? I need to reach the truth behind this incident. For the sake of dedicating my body to... an even greater hope..."

Maki turned to Hajime, who had disdain clear on his face. Not without reason, of course. It was hard for anyone to trust Nagito after his actions during the previous two murders. It was clear that whatever Maki told him would just be used to confuse them for "the sake of hope."

She sighed. "Sorry, Nagito, but I'm a little busy at the moment. We'll have plenty of time to go over all that at the trial."

"...I see, that's disappointing."

Ignoring him, Maki made her way back toward the stage, but rather than interrupt Mikan's autopsy on Ibuki, she headed closer toward Akane's body. Hajime followed her, so it seemed they had an unspoken agreement to investigate together, like they did for the first case. She didn't complain. He had proven an astute investigator in the past.

On the stage, they found Chiaki, staring at the floor sadly.

"...Did something drop on the floor there?" Hajime asked. Maki was going to elbow him for the seemingly-insensitive question, but stopped at Chiaki's answer.

"Nothing dropped... it's just dirty."

"...Dirty?"

"See? Take a cloooose look at the floor. If you look closely..."

Maki knelt where she was pointing, and could see dark red streak across the stage.

"You're right..." Hajime said. "there's a smudge as if something was wiped off... Wait... this isn't "something"... Is this a bloodstain!?"

"Well, a bloodstain isn't strange." Chiaki said. "Akane was stabbed repeatedly not far from here... Rather, what's strange is... why did the killer try to hide it?"

"...Hide it?"

Maki stood and started pacing. "If they were trying to hide their crime, they would've started with the corpse. Instead, it's pinned on display. So why wipe the blood away?"

As they considered the question, Maki made her way closer to Ibuki's half of the scene. She examined the stepladder that was tipped over under Ibuki's hanging corpse. Ibuki's death... it couldn't have been a suicide, could it?

"Ah... isn't that a bloodstain?" Chiaki asked. "Look, there's blood around the left side of the stepladder. As I recall, Ibuki didn't have any external injuries. If that's the case..."

"Then it must be Akane's blood." Hajime finished.

"That's the only thing I can think of."

Maki walked a little further and picked up the noose. "...This is what killed Ibuki. This... is the murder weapon."

"From what I can tell... it looks like a regular length of rope with no unnatural features." Nagito said as he suddenly joined them. "But despite the fact this music venue has a storage room, there shouldn't have been any rope in there. Which means... was it obtained from the supermarket? Did the killer bring it from there?"

"That means anybody could've obtained this rope, and it means it'd be difficult to use this as a clue." Hajime decided.

"...I wonder if that's true." Nagito muttered.

"...Huh?"

"Oh, I just noticed a little something. Is it okay if I confirm it? Excuse me, Mikan! Do you have a moment?"

Maki sighed. "What are you doing now?"

"U-Um... what's happened?" Mikan asked as she made her way over.

"There's something I want to ask you..." Nagito explained. "There's no doubt Ibuki's cause of death was being hanged by this rope, right?"

"Y-Yes... she had no other external injuries, so there's no doubt she died from hanging herself."

"I see, I see... So Ibuki died by hanging herself."

"That... was obvious the moment we discovered the body." Hajime said. "You might not have seen it, but we all saw that she hanged herself."

"You're right! Yep, I got it! So this rope won't be much of a clue... Then I might as well search another place." With that, he left them standing in confusion.

Maki rolled her eyes. "What a guy." She turned to Mikan and smiled. "So, I know you're busy with the autopsy, but you don't mind if we get a closer look at the body, right? I promise to be quiet."

"O-Of course I don't mind. Feel free!"

The three of them made their way over to the corpse, and began inspecting it. As the Monokuma File states, Ibuki's only injury was a crushed windpipe. There was nothing unusual about the rest of her body, or the hospital gown she was wearing.

"...Hm? What's this on Ibuki's feet?" Hajime asked. "It's... blood, right?"

Maki walked over to his angle, and could see what he meant. Flecks of blood were splattered along the soles of her slippers. "It would have to be Akane's... But the question is... how did her blood get on Ibuki?"

"Hey Maki... can I talk to you for a sec?" Fuyuhiko asked, making his way onto the stage. "You already discovered the body before you met up with us, right?"

"That's right."

"Which means Ibuki must've died before Akane was pinned up... That helps. There's no time of death written in the Monokuma File this time... So I wasn't really sure who died first."

Fuyuhiko walked off. Maki thought about what he said before she made her way over to Akane's body. Dozens of arrows were stabbed through her and into the pillar behind her, just barely enough to hold her up. The stench of iron was overwhelming.

"Dammit! Who did this!?" Hajime growled.

Maki offered a sad look. "...Most of the blood is around her torso, so that's likely where she was stabbed first. Then, after her death, her arms and legs were pinned to the wall. But I was gone barely ten minutes. How the hell did the killer have enough time to do all that? Damn it..."

After a brief moment, she looked beyond the pillar and at the wall beside the stage. There was a small control panel on it.

"This looks like the music venue's A/C unit." Hajime said. "...It's running as a heater! Over 86 degrees Fahrenheit!"

"That's over 30 degrees Celsius." Maki noted. "That explains the temperature, at least."

"I better turn off the heater for now. That should cool things off a little."

"I feel better already." She added sarcastically. "Well, I think we're done with the stage for now. C'mon, there's something else I wanted to check out."

She lead him over to the centre of the floor, where some small chunks of metal and electronic parts lay on the floor.

"This appears to be the radio." Sonia said.

"Byakuya put it in the music venue for communication purposes... Hmph, why's it destroyed like this?" Gundham asked.

Sonia turned to Maki expectantly. "Perhaps criminal psychology is at play here?"

"What do you mean?" Hajime asked.

"Even if they know they are not being recorded, there is no way the killer would tolerate committing a murder in front of a radio." The Princess explained.

Maki considered it. "I suppose that's plausible enough... But I don't think it applies here. Before I discovered the body, I heard Ibuki singing from the hospital's radio, so it had to be smashed afterwards. Besides, this radio doesn't even have a recording function, right?"

"Then what is that?" Gundham asked, leaning over and pointing at a small, torn strip of tape lying with the rest of the junk, the kind of tape used in cassettes and other outdated audio recorders.

"...Huh. _Did_ the radio have a recording function? I don't remember anything like that."

"Neither do I." Hajime admitted. "I thought the radio could only send and receive transmissions."

The two moved toward the back of the music venue, toward a door labelled "staff only." Inside, they found a storage area, and Nagito already there.

"Nagito... did you come here to investigate this storage room, too?" Hajime asked.

"I just wanted to confirm what you were thinking... So how about it? Did you find any clues? The tipped over stepladder on the stage... That probably also came from this storage room. There might be other things from this storage room that they used for the crime."

"You always pretend to give me hints... but in the end, you're just going to be on the killer's side, right?"

"Aww... I'm not siding with the killer, you know. I'm just on the side of whoever acts in the name of hope... That's all there is to it. That's the main reason why... this case is really special."

"...Huh?"

"...But I can't say for certain, though."

Maki caught Hajime's confusion at his words, and decided to help him. "Don't even bother trying to understand him, Hajime. People like him, they don't share our concepts of right and wrong. It's why he doesn't bat an eye at the idea of killing or committing suicide. To him, it's not about the actions he takes, but if the actions can further his goal. The end justifies the means."

Nagito listened quietly to her as she spoke, then responded with, "By the way, Maki... I still don't quite understand the details of what happened. Hey, if you explain it to me in detail, I think I'd be able to give you some useful information."

Hajime stepped forward. "...Really? You might end up confusing us again instead. You don't want to find the truth... You just want to make us suffer."

"That's not true... I'm doing this because I believe it's for everyone's sake... Oh well... For the sake of everyone's hope, I'd gladly become the enemy, and I won't even mind when I die... That's the main reason why... I can't overlook this case this time..."

"...Huh? What does that mean?"

"Regardless, I guess you're not gonna tell me, huh? Then it can't be helped. I guess I'll just rely on my gut feelings."

"Gut feelings...?"

"You should come by later, too. I'll go there first and wait for you two."

"Where... exactly are you talking about?"

"...Well, obviously, the movie theatre."

With that, Nagito walked out of the storage room, leaving them alone.

"...Movie theatre?" Hajime repeated.

"As far as I know, the only thing there is... well, the movie." Maki said. "Perhaps he's suggesting the crime relates to the movie? I wouldn't know, I never saw it."

"Neither did I." Hajime said. He did a quick scan of the room. "It doesn't look like there's anything here that pertains to the case."

"Hang on." Maki interrupted, walking over to a shelf. It contained paints, carpets, and wallpapers, one of which she held up the corner of. "There's a bit torn off here, see? I swear I've seen this wallpaper used somewhere before..."

Before Hajime could respond, she was walking out the door of the storage room and stopped, looking up at the baton lighting above the stage. She smirked. "Gotcha."

Gundham made his way over to them. "I see... So you noticed too, fiend."

"Huh? Noticed...?" Hajime repeated.

Gundham turned to him. "So you didn't notice? Hmph, are those eyes just little glass balls? Take a good look at the baton lighting above your head. Have you not noticed that aberrant item?"

Hajime followed their gazes for a moment before he saw it. "...You mean, that!? There's something that looks like black paper... stuck to the baton lighting..."

"Kehehe... so you've finally noticed."

"But I can't really see it from here. I should lower the baton lighting one more time and..."

"Hmph, there is no need...!" Gundham spread his arms, and his hamsters made their appearance. "Go, Mirage Golden Hawk Jum-P! Now is the time for you to take flight! Fuhaha! Feast your eyes upon the brave souls of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction!"

Leaping from Gundham's hand, Jum-P stuck its claws into the pillar, already halfway up, and climbed the rest of the distance at lightning speed. Once it reached the baton lighting, it ran around the slip of paper in rapid circles, until it fluttered down and was caught deftly by Gundham, who then caught his hamster.

"Fuhahaha! Did you see that!? Behold the power of the Ultimate Evil Eye Wielder!" Amidst Hajime's stunned reaction, Maki began clapping, and was quickly followed by Sonia.

"Wow! That is amazing! I have never seen a hamster do tricks!"

"...They're my Four Dark Devas of Destruction. Hamsters are merely their temporary form."

"So what's with that paper?" Hajime finally asked.

The Breeder inspected it. "Hmm... it seems to be some kind of thick paper, though it does not have any special spells scribed unto it... Hmph, it appears it's nothing useful."

Hajime and Maki exchanged a glance. There was no way it was just a coincidence that that scrap was in such an odd place.

She shrugged. "Well, regardless, I think I'll check in with Mikan one more time before I investigate elsewhere. You coming?"

Hajime agreed, and the two made their way over to the Nurse, who appeared quite frazzled.

"Any luck, Mikan?" Maki asked.

"Uhuhuhuh...!" She stuttered. "To tell you the truth... it's been very inconclusive! But it's not my fault! This music venue is just too hot! B-Because of the heat, I can't estimate the time of death!"

Maki's expression turned grim. "That's what I was afraid of..."

"Because of the heat...?" Hajime repeated. "Is that possible?"

"If a body is overexposed to heat or cold, you won't be able to determine a precise time of death..." The Nurse explained.

"Seems our killer thought ahead on this one. But, look at it this way..." Maki nudged her slightly. "That just means they're afraid of you."

Mikan blushed. "E-Even if this heat is the killer's doing... is there any reason for them to cover up the time of death?"

"Oh, good point. I already know the time of the murder. Ibuki died around the same time as the Monokuma morning announcement... and Akane was within the next few minutes."

"And... as long as this is an imitation murder, there shouldn't be any mistaking the order of the murders..."

"...Huh? Imitation murder?" Hajime repeated.

"A murder where the killer uses another crime, either real or fictional, as inspiration for their own." Maki explained briefly. "But... what makes you say this is an imitation?"

"Well... based on the killing order and the way they were killed, it's clearly an imitation of that movie..." Mikan said.

"The assumption is... an imitation murder is the reason why the killer killed two people." Gundham explained.

"The goal was an imitation killer..." Chiaki muttered. "Even so, why did they feel the need to do something like that?"

Sonia interrupted. "Excuse me, if this was really an imitation of that movie... Then is it possible that one more person might have been killed?"

"It's certainly conceivable... if the killer wishes to complete the imitation..." Gundham agreed.

"H-Hold on a sec!" Hajime snapped. "What are you all talking about? An "imitation murder"? One more person might have been killed...?"

"Are you guys worried that there's gonna be another victim?" Monokuma asked as he appeared. "Then nooooo worries! Things would get out of hand too fast if a bunch of people could be killed at once. I'm a reaaaaal cautious fella, so I've prepared a perfect countermeasure! Ahem! On this killing school trip, the same blackened can only kill a maximum of two people!"

"...You mean, you've added another rule?" Chiaki asked.

"Well, if killing everyone at once is okay, the blackened would be able to secure an easy victory, right? This new rule will prevent that! Make sure you slam it into your tiny brains!"

"If it is a maximum of two people... then there will not be any more killings?" Sonia asked.

"...Since you're here anyway... can I ask you one more thing?" Chiaki asked. "You know... I just want to confirm one of the class trial rules..."

"I see, I see. As expected of you, you're very strict about games."

"I don't want to consider this possibility at all... and I don't even want to think someone would do this... If two cases occur at once... what happens if there are two killers?"

"...Eh?"

"Like I said... I'm talking about the possibility that Ibuki and Akane were killed by two different people. That would mean that two killers exist at the same time, but we can only vote for one person, right?"

"If we can only choose one based on a majority vote, the other person could certainly achieve victory..." Sonia realized.

"Yeah, you're right." Monokuma agreed.

"So what happens in that case?" Chiaki pressed. "What about a case where there's three incidents instead of two? Or if four incidents overlap one another?"

"Sh-Shuuuut uuuuuup! It's okay! I'll make extra sure something like that never happens!"

Maki scoffed. "That's a cop-out answer if I ever heard one."

"Meaning, two killers can't exist at the same time..." Chiaki clarified. "So it's safe to say that applies to this case too, right?"

"Ugh...! All right, fine, fine... That's right... there's always one killer at any given time... Even if they had an accomplice, I'd have you figure out who the mastermind is. Maaaan, I ended up giving you a huuuuge hint... She made me say it... Gamer brains are not to be underestimated... I should just shut up and go back to my cave..." With that, he disappeared.

"...Yep, that makes things a little easier." Chiaki said.

"Plus, if the same killer can kill a maximum of two people... It means a third victim would be impossible!" Gundham declared. "Imitation murder breakthrough!"

"...You guys keep saying that and it sounds strange to me." Hajime said. "What do you guys mean by "imitation"?"

"I, too, would like to know." Maki added.

"Ah, could it be...? You haven't seen it?" Mikan asked.

"Seen it...?" Hajime repeated. "Seriously, seen what?"

"Like I said, that movie." Chiaki answered.

"When we first explored this island, Monokuma was passing out invitation tickets." Sonia explained.

"Then the imitation is..."

"Of course, it's an imitation of _that _movie." Gundham said with a smirk.

"Well... based on the murders this time, it closely resembles that movie, as if they were copying it." Chiaki clarified. "I see... so you haven't seen it. Still, it's not too late... I think. It's probably a good idea if you watch that movie before the class trial starts."

"Looks like... I need to do that." Hajime said, adding it to his mental checklist.

"I guess I have no choice." Maki agreed. "I'll come with you."

"Then I should get going too." Chiaki decided. "There are other places I want to investigate."

"...Where do you intend to go next, Chiaki?" Sonia asked.

"Probably... the hospital, for sure. The victims were there... I don't know what was going on at the hospital in the first place..."

"Thanks to that Despair Disease, we could not go there for some time..."

Maki nodded. "The movie theatre and the hospital. It might also be prudent to look through the victims' cottages, or even the motel. The killer could be someone who was staying there, after all. They may have left clues behind, though I find it unlikely given how thorough this killer seems..."

Agreeing to split up from the rest of the group for now, Maki and Hajime made their way to the movie theatre.

* * *

The two investigators walked into the air-conditioned lobby, a place they had briefly explored days ago. The only one waiting for them was Nagito.

"Why hello there, Hajime, Maki. I knew you two would come here. That means you noticed it too, right? The case this time is an imitation case in which the killer used that movie as their theme..."

"We wouldn't know..." Hajime answered. "We haven't watched that movie yet."

He looked between them. "I see... then you really should watch this movie first. Heeeey manager! A customer's here!"

Monokuma appeared behind the counter. "Yesssssss! Didja call me!?... Huh? You guys are the customers?

"Is there a problem with that?" Maki asked.

"Puhuhu... And you said you didn't wanna watch it... but I knew you wanted to see it all along! You were so devoted to being tsundere, you even bought the Monokuma Sticker for 1.5 million dollars!"

"...You paid 1.5 million dollars for a sticker?" Nagito asked.

"Well, I, uh..."

"Not just Maki, but Hajime as well! In exchange for not watching this movie, they each paid 1.5 million dollars for a Monokuma Sticker. C'mon, since we're talking about it anyway, why don't you show it to Nagito?"

"...S-Stop it!" Hajime snapped. But before he could defend himself, Monokuma reached a paw into his pocket and pulled out the Monokuma Sticker.

"See, it's this one! "I'm sorry, I was born stupid"..."

"Y-You bought _this_... for 1.5 million dollars...!?"

"I'm actually more impressed that he managed to pull the same con on both of us separately." Maki remarked.

"Puhuhu... but in the end, they're still gonna watch the movie."

"Wh-Who cares about that anymore!" Hajime snapped. "Just hurry up and give me an invitation ticket!"

"Okaaaaay! Here ya go!" The bear produced two tickets, and handed them to Maki and Hajime. "It already says so on the invitation ticket, but it's only effective today at this time. By the way, I can only give away one ticket per person! You only have one chance to watch it for free! I've already stamped today's date onto the ticket, so you won't be able to cheat."

"Don't worry... I only plan to watch it once..."

"Then I'll go prepare the projection reel. Please wait a bit, okaaaaay?" With that, he waddled into the next room.

"Ah, guys... about that invitation ticket, I strongly recommend you keep that safe." Nagito said.

"...Huh? Why?" Hajime asked.

"No reason. Just think of it as a protective charm."

They stuffed their respective tickets into their respective pockets as Monokuma arrived once again.

"Looks like the preparations are complete, so please enter the theatre right away! Puhuhu... this is exciting! Exciting!"

The inside of the theatre was unusually opulent and large, especially considering there were only 17 people on the island. Hajime took his seat before the silver screen, and Maki sat so that there was a chair between them. They turned their attention to the movie as the speakers buzzed to life and the lights dimmed.

"Um... I apologize for keeping you waiting. World famous director Monokuma presents a stunning masterpiece that reduced American audiences to tears... "The Wizard of Monomi 2.5D" will be screening shortly."

Hajime groaned. Even the title sounded half-assed.

"Now then, please relax and enjoy the film."

What followed was utterly boring. Minutes became weeks as the story slowly dragged on, filled with dumb humour that only Monokuma would come up with. To summarize:

_Monokuma was born in a remote village full of old people because the death rates outpaced the birth rates. One day, Monokuma was swept up by a tornado created by a helicopter gunship during a routine military exercise... And was whisked away to Monomi's country. Monokuma wanted to return to his homeland so he could go back to pestering the old people for change... So he began his journey to see the wizard, Monomi, who was rumoured to grant any wish one desires. Along the way, he met a very loyal group of friends. Monokuma met a Monomi scarecrow who was missing a brain. When he recommended that she commit suicide... The Monomi scarecrow hanged herself and died. He also met a Monomi lion who was missing her courage, so he pumped her full of arrows. He also met a Monomi tin man who was missing a heart, so Monokuma sliced her into lumps of iron. After a lot of other stuff happened, Monokuma reached the wizard Monomi, the great and powerful... Eventually, one thing led to another and he started beating the crap out of Monomi... And in the end, he somehow usurped the kingdom from her. With this, Monokuma enslaved the old people, took their pensions, and lived the rest of his days in luxury. And he lived happily ever after! The End!_

When the screen shut off and the lights turned back on, the two investigators sat in silence for a few moments before the real Monokuma showed up.

"Man, movies are the best! That drama was so moving that I needed _two _boxes of tissues! One for each hand!"

"Alright, Paul Reubens, nobody needs that image." Maki said.

"Now then, let's meet again at the class trial! Goodbye, bye, bye!" With that, the bear disappeared.

"Well, that was a load of shit." Maki announced on the way out of the theatre. "At least he didn't steal your likeness this time, though."

Hajime, however, was too disgusted to even sigh.

Nagito met them on the way out. "How was it...? Actually, I don't even have to ask. I totally expected your reaction."

"That was honestly the worst movie I've ever seen..." Hajime finally said. "Is it even okay to call that a movie?"

"...But thanks to that movie, now you know, right?"

"Yeah..."

Maki went through the checklist. "Ibuki had the Gullibility Disease, so you could say she lost her brain. She was killed like the scarecrow. Akane had the Coward's Disease, so she lost her courage. She was killed like the lion."

"It would've been a complete imitation if the killer killed 3 people, but it seems that wasn't possible..." Nagito said.

"Looks like you got lucky again."

"...What do you mean?"

"The victims were both suffering from the Despair Disease, like you. Plus, you had the Liar's Disease. Lying is seen as morally questionable, so one could say you had no heart. You were a prime candidate for the tin man position. If the killer _could _kill 3 people, we probably would've found you sliced to pieces."

"Perhaps the killer is upset about that right now? Or..."

Maki nodded. "If there goal was an imitation murder, sure. But... well, I have my own ideas."

* * *

Their next destination was the hospital, where they were greeted by Byakuya and Chiaki.

Maki moved to inspect the radio, while Hajime made his way over to the others. He asked Byakuya, "Hey, you prepared that radio, right? Didn't you get this from that shady-looking alley where all those machines were lined up?"

"Yes, that's right." Byakuya responded.

"Then... if there are other radio units... Would it be possible to transmit a signal to the hospital from those radios, too?"

"No, that's impossible. Out of all the radios there, these two were the only ones that could transmit on the specific frequency I had them on. I chose them because of that, to avoid something like what you just described."

Chiaki turned to the Criminologist. "Hey Maki. There's something I want to ask you... You first discovered Ibuki's body at the music venue, right? But why did you go to the music venue? You had a reason for that, right? Did you... hear something with this radio?"

"That's exactly it. I arrived here early this morning, and convinced Mikan to head to bed. Then I came out here and heard the radio turn on. On the other end, I could hear Ibuki singing. I was confused, since last I knew, she was in her room. I had a feeling something bad was happening, so I dashed over to the music venue to save her. But I was too late."

"...Did you check on Ibuki when you arrived here?" Chiaki asked.

"I'll admit, the thought didn't cross my mind, since her condition was the easiest to deal with out of the three. On top of that, I could hear her singing in her room when I arrived. There was only a few minutes between her stopping her singing and me hearing her on the radio. I was so distracted with Mikan... I should've been able to do something..."

Byakuya spoke up. "However... while it sounds unlikely, doesn't the crime scene make it look like she committed suicide? Wouldn't that make her her own killer, by Monokuma's rules?"

Maki considered this. "Hanging is a common form of suicide, and she lacks any other external injuries. It would also be a lot easier for her to slip under my nose if she acted alone..."

"...What do you think, Chiaki?" Hajime asked.

"Hmm... Hmmmmmmmmmm..."

"Of course, there's no way we could figure it out that easily." Byakuya said. "Especially considering that that theory doesn't account for Akane's death, which was clearly not a suicide."

"...Oh yeah, I need to investigate the second floor... I'm heading over there." With that, the Gamer made her way further into the hospital.

Maki thought for a moment before she spoke again. "You follow after her. I have some other places I want to investigate. Hopefully, I'll have the time."

"Where are you going...?" Hajime asked.

"I can tell you later. For now, it's best if we split up." With that, she dashed out of the hospital.

Her destination was Hotel Mirai, specifically the cottages of the deceased.

* * *

"Helloooooo! How's everybody doin'? It's me, Monokuma! Yaaaaay, awesome! The class trial's gonna start, you know! Soooo make sure you guys come to Monokuma Rock ASAP! Puhuhuhu, I'll see you soon!"

Maki was in the middle of investigating Ibuki's cottage when she heard the announcement. Cursing, she grabbed the one piece of evidence she was able to find, a tape recorder, and stuffed it into her coat pocket.

As usual, all the surviving students made their way to Monokuma Rock. There was nothing to be gained by defying their captor's orders, after all.

When everyone was present, Monokuma appeared. "Is everybody heeeere!? Do you guys wanna go to the class triaaaaaal!?"

"Hey, jerk!" Monomi snapped as she appeared. "Hold it right there!"

"What? Don't get in my way. You're just a dumb little sister who's short a few brain cells."

"My brain works just fine! Monokuma! What did you do with Nekomaru!?"

"I see... so you've come to avenge him..."

"Avenge!? That sounds like he died!"

""Sounds like," you say...? Oops! Anyway, since Nekomaru is unfortunately unavailable today, let's just say he's absent... N-Now then, I gotta go first!"

"Ah, hold on! I won't let you escape!" With that, both stuffed animals disappeared.

"So, not to be a downer but... Did anyone else hear what he just said?" Maki asked.

"Don't worry about it, there's no way Nekomaru is dead..." Fuyuhiko assured her. "He's just trying to piss us off...!"

"More importantly... it's best if we worry about ourselves for now." Nagito reminded them. "If "something" happens here... every one of us except Nekomaru will die!"

"Wh-Why are you so excited about that...!?" Mikan asked.

"Who knows...? Maybe I'm just looking forward to seeing poetic justice prevail."

"What are you saying, fiend?" Gundham asked.

"You'll find out soon enough..."

"...Then let's go." Chiaki decided.

As she finished saying it, Monokuma Rock once again regurgitated an escalator, and the students stepped on one by one. Maki was one of the last few on, as usual, and she hesitated when her turn came.

"Maki...?" Beside her was Mikan, looking at her with concern.

"Heh... I don't know what's up with me. It's not like me to get nervous before a trial." She reached out and took the Nurse's hand in her's. "But maybe that's not such a bad thing. At the very least, you'll be with me the whole way, won't you?"

"Y-Yes, of course...!"

Both girls smiled at each other before they made their way onto the escalator, together. It carried them up into the steel cage, which shut it's doors behind them and began it's descent below the earth.

Even during the long elevator ride, Maki stared straight ahead, prepared to take on whatever future awaited her in the trial room. She would face it fearlessly, just as she had always done. Nothing would shake her anymore. After a few moments, she realized she was holding Mikan's hand in a death grip. She tried to soften her hold a bit, but the other girl just returned the force herself. And so they stood their, holding onto each other for dear life.

Finally, the elevator stopped, and the students poured into the trial room.

"My, my... It feels pretty toothless with all these empty seats..." Monokuma noted.

"Well, two people got killed at the same time... and Nekomaru's not here, either..." Monomi sobbed. "Is Nekomaru really not participating? If he's alive, you should invite him!"

"...Why bother?"

"What!?"

"Now then... let's begin! It's the beginning of the long-awaited class trial! Please enjoy it to your heart's content!"

And so, the curtain rose on... A trial for life, and a judgement of death... Deception in life, and treachery in death... Betrayal for life, and betrayal for death... The riddles of life, and the mystery of death... Justification for life, and rationalization of death... Faith in life, and trust in death... A life or death... Class Trial!

* * *

**I remember at the end of the last investigation chapter, I brought up Maki's overblown statement at the end there. I explained that that's what Makoto says at the start of every trial in one of the fan translations, before Danganronpa came to North America. I also considered checking out the fan translation, just to see how bad it is. And, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for anyone who likes that translation, but I finally saw it, and it's as bad as I thought it was. At best, some dialogue just looks like it was put through google translate, and at worst, someone will end up saying something ridiculous or out of character. And a lot of the talent names are vague, or just plain inaccurate. It's actually pretty funny at times, though, so I totally recommend it.**

**Anyway, this has been my mini-review of the Danganronpa fan-translations.**

**In the next chapter, we will begin the class trial to discover who killed Ibuki Mioda and Akane Owari.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Hooray for 8k chapters! ****Of course, our last trial was just about 10k, even with me trying to rush things along with Albert's commentary and summary, so I think we got lucky this time around.**

**So, here's the third in a trilogy of chapters I decided to call the "Maki chapters" for some reason. This time: Class Trial addition! I said I'd get this up within the next few days, and I did. Good for me. I get a cookie. Anyway, you all read the previous chapter (unless you're skipping ahead, you cheater), so I shouldn't have to say anything. Just keep in mind, no matter what you think of the outcome of this trial, I'm not just killing characters off willy-nilly. There's a method to my madness.**

**As always, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing in the future, whether for the trials or in general, feel free to let me know.**

**With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Cat and Mouse**

**CLASS TRIAL! ALL RISE!**

"Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. During the class trial you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for "whodunnit." If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... I'll punish everyone _besides _the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave this island!... Oh well, who cares about this boring explanation? Let's get on with it already!"

"I don't mind starting the trial, but... I don't really have a grasp of how the case played out." Nagito said. "You know, because I was asleep the whole time."

"Bah, even if you do get it, you're just gonna confuse the hell out of us like always, right?" Hiyoko spat.

Maki huffed. "While you have a point, it would be prudent to establish a basis for our discussion."

"Since you're our first witness, why don't you explain the incident and the sequence of events?" Chiaki suggested.

"You're really putting me on the spot, huh?" Maki muttered. "Okay, well, let's start at the very beginning. Because of the Despair Disease, we decided to split into two groups, who I'll refer to as the Motel Team and the Hospital Team. The Hospital Team consisted of Akane, Ibuki, and Nagito, who were infected, and Fuyuhiko, Hajime, Mikan, and I, who were there as caretakers."

"The other five on the Motel Team were... myself, Gundham, Byakuya, Chiaki, and Hiyoko." Sonia recalled.

"Spending the night at the hospital was prohibited, so Hajime, Maki, and I had to sleep at our cottages." Fuyuhiko explained.

"I had a hard time sleeping the night before the accident." Maki admitted. "Since I saw no point staying in bed, I headed toward the hospital early. When I arrived, Mikan was just finishing some miracle work, and Nagito was recovering from his symptoms. We talked for a bit, and I eventually made her rest in the on-call room, since she stayed up all night. From there, I made my way to the lobby, to wait for Fuyuhiko and Hajime. That's when... I heard the radio spark to life, before our scheduled transmission time. Before I could react, I heard... Ibuki, singing on the other end."

"Amazing!" Nagito beamed. "That's such a heart-pounding story! And then what did you do, Maki?"

"I got a bad feeling, since Ibuki was supposed to be at the hospital. So before I knew it, I was sprinting to the music venue. I thought, if she was in danger, I could save her... But I was too late... By the time I arrived, Ibuki was hanging from the ceiling. Since we would need to investigate, I then decided to go tell the others, and rushed over to the motel."

"Why the motel?" Nagito asked.

"It was closer to the music venue, and there were more able-bodied people there. At least, that's what I was hoping for, but only Chiaki accompanied me."

"But I remember feeling a little relieved because not long after, we met up with Hajime, Mikan, and Fuyuhiko." Chiaki explained.

"...We were looking for Ibuki and Akane because they went missing from the hospital." Hajime added.

"After I rested for a bit, I started counting everyone at the hospital..." Mikan explained. "And then... I noticed they were gone... So... I sprinted out of the hospital... Coincidentally, I ran into Hajime and Fuyuhiko, so I pled with them in various ways to see if they could help me out."

"Don't say it like that and confuse people..." Fuyuhiko scolded.

"Afterwards, I led my motley crew to the music venue, since I knew that was where Ibuki was." Maki continued.

"But the door wouldn't open." Fuyuhiko said. "Since we had no other option, the five of us broke down the door... And when that happened, we didn't just find Ibuki's body! We also found Akane's! And not just that... Her body was pinned to a pillar."

"That's when we heard the body discovery announcement not once, but twice in a row..." Hajime said.

"So that's how the case played out." Nagito nodded. "Thank you... I understood it very easily..."

"Well, it's clear what the problem with this case is." Fuyuhiko decided. "When Maki left the music venue, who-?"

"...Wait." Nagito interrupted. "How do I know anything Maki just said is true? Sorry, I'm only being impartial right now... And the story I just heard... is clearly suspicious. Maki, if you're the only one who heard the radio broadcast and the first one to discover Ibuki's body... then you could be lying as much as you want right now, right?"

"...I understand. You want me to confirm I'm not the killer, is that right?" She thought for a moment. "Well, sorry to say, but I have two alibis that clear my name quite nicely. Firstly, Mikan can attest to the fact that I was at the hospital mere minutes before the murder occurred. If you think I could strangle someone to death in that little time, let alone set up their body, you're more insane than I thought. The other piece, which I'm sure you know, Nagito, is this." She produced her invitation ticket, which was stamped today.

Hajime produced an identical ticket. "Yeah, there's no way Maki, or I, could have imitated that movie, so neither of us can be the killer."

"...Of course you're not. I already knew that."

"...Huh?"

"Before the incident, Maki had never watched the movie... Her invitation ticket is proof of that. Each person only received one ticket, and they're marked with a stamp that shows the date and time... Isn't that right, Monokuma?"

"Yes, no mistakes there." He confirmed.

"Which means there's no way Maki, who never saw the movie, could commit murders that imitated it. Or... did anyone tell her what happens in the movie? Of course, no one did, right?"

"Nagito... what are you doing...!?" Hajime asked.

"Well, since we're opening with Maki's witness testimony, I thought we should solidify the foundation... It also provides a good warm-up."

"Wh-What warm up!? This isn't a game, you know!"

"Chill, Hajime." Maki interrupted. "He's just being impartial. I would have done the same in his shoes, albeit in a less roundabout manner. Regardless, this wasn't a waste of time. We've proven my testimony reliable, provided an alibi for you, me, and, by extension, Mikan, since I was with her the moments leading up to the crime. With that, we cleared 30% of our suspects so far."

"So... is it safe to assume that Ibuki climbed the stepladder of her own accord?" Byakuya asked.

"I'm almost positive." She said.

"Then Ibuki is the blackened?"

"If Ibuki committed suicide... then who killed Akane?" Gundham asked.

"...Right. A murder occurring in the same spot as a suicide sounds highly unlikely."

"Like I said before, it's pretty clear what the problem with this case is." Fuyuhiko repeated. "The killer murdered Akane while Maki was gone... So all we gotta do is establish who could've possibly done that!"

"Then let's ask Maki..." Gundham decided. "How long would you say you were away from the music venue?"

"...It couldn't have been longer than ten minutes." She said.

"So you're saying they killed her and pinned her up in less than ten minutes?" Hiyoko asked. "There's no way that's possible!"

"That's why the killer stalled for time by making the music venue a closed room." Fuyuhiko explained. "The killer blocked the venue door from the inside to try and keep us from entering right away."

"However, that door is the only entrance to the music venue, right?" Sonia asked. "If they blocked the door from the inside, the killer would not have been able to leave either."

"Yeah, you're absolutely right... Which means... when we broke down the venue door, the killer was still inside!"

"Haaaah! Th-They were!?" Mikan gasped.

"If that's the case, the only suspicious people are those who don't have an alibi for that time... And that's one of you! Byakuya, Hiyoko, and Sonia!"

"M-Me too!?" Sonia asked.

"What the hell!? Why am I getting accused again!?" Hiyoko snapped.

"Could you clarify why we three are the suspects?" Byakuya asked.

"The others all have alibis." The Yakuza answered simply. "Maki, Chiaki, Mikan, Hajime, and I all broke down the venue door together... Gundham met up with Maki at the motel right before that... And if Nagito was laid up in the hospital, the only person that leaves is one of you!"

"There's another person who doesn't have an alibi." Nagito pointed out. "You know... Nekomaru."

"ME TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?" Monokuma roared in his best Nekomaru impression.

"Hey, why are you talking like... huh?" Monomi asked. "Y-You're kidding, right...? You're... not up to something weird, are you?"

"P-Please stop making bad jokes..." Sonia requested.

"Anyway! If the killer was hiding inside the venue, we should obviously doubt the people who don't have alibis!"

Hiyoko looked about ready to throw a tantrum, but Maki interrupted her. "I agree... _if _the killer was hiding inside the venue. However, there's also the possibility that the door was locked from the outside."

"From the outside... how?"

"Chiaki, Hajime, and I discovered a semitransparent glob stuck to the edge of the music venue door."

"Semitransparent glob... like rubber, maybe?"

"That semitransparent glob... must've been glue." Hajime decided.

"Glue!?"

"Yeah, I think so too." Chiaki agreed. "It had a firm, gel-like chewiness... and I could smell workshop chemicals the moment I put it in my mouth... Based on all that, I'm certain it was glue."

"That glue was only applied to the areas where both doors touched..." Hajime continued. "By pouring it in the gaps of the closed door, they must've sealed the venue door from the outside."

"And thanks to that, a glob of glue was left where the door was stuck... Yep, it fits perfectly."

"But... if you just stick them together with glue, you'd be able to break down the door easily, you know?" Mikan pointed out.

"Right." Maki agreed. "However, the killer wasn't trying to stall for time or prevent access. They just wanted us to think the doors were locked from within."

"...Wh-What'd you say!?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"That drumstick... wasn't it a little too obvious? I think it's pretty clear that was a red herring."

"Are you saying the drumstick was a trap the killer set on purpose...? Then I..."

"Ha! You totally fell for it!" Hiyoko mocked. "Hurry up and apologize, already!"

Byakuya shook his head. "I think we could all do without another sliced stomach right now, thank you."

"In a quarrel, both sides are to blame." Monomi added. "That's why it's better to just have no sides at all!"

"Wow. It's pretty sad that that's not the dumbest thing I've heard all week." Maki muttered.

"So... During the ten minutes Maki left the venue, the killer murdered Akane and created a closed space?" Gundham asked.

"They then pinned her up after killing her, right?" Sonia added.

"Awww... What unimaginable speed for a slowpoke like me...!" Mikan muttered.

"We already know you have an alibi." Hiyoko said. "If you're not gonna say anything useful, then just keep your dirty mouth shut."

"Hiyoko, how about you just shut up for once!" Maki snapped suddenly, catching the other students off guard. She cleared her throat. "I mean, we don't have time for that right now. Besides... the killer doesn't need to be some amazing multitasker. There are other possibilities we haven't explored yet."

Nagito thought for a moment. "If they couldn't have done it while Maki was away from the venue... They must have done it earlier than that."

"But when Maki got to the venue, only Ibuki's body was there, right?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"And when you went back with everyone else, Akane's body was there too, right?" Nagito asked her. "But it's possible that the body was just revealed at that time, when Akane was actually killed earlier."

"J-Just revealed...?" Mikan repeated.

"Of course, the body wasn't revealed on its own. The killer did that, too... Here, I have proof." He produced a small but thick, black shred of paper.

"Hm... that scrap of paper..." Gundham said. "Is that what we found in the baton lighting at the music venue?"

"That's right, but... just what is this scrap, anyway?"

"That scrap..." Hajime started. "Isn't it part of the wallpaper in the storage room? In the music venue storage room, there should've been black wallpaper that's the same colour as that scrap. There was also a tear along the edge of the wallpaper, wasn't there? If so..."

"You're right... If you overlay the scrap that was caught on the lighting with the tear in the wallpaper... it fits perfectly!"

"I see..." Sonia said. "So the scrap that was caught on the baton lighting was originally part of the wallpaper..."

Maki nodded. "And of course... the reason it was there was because the killer set it up to cover Akane's body from my view."

"But it would have taken quite a long time to pin up a hidden body." Gundham argued.

"No, the body was already pinned up and it, along with the pillar, were hidden behind the wallpaper."

"What!? They hid the pillar!?"

"By hanging the wallpaper around the pillar, they created a slightly larger pillar. So, when I first discovered Ibuki's body, Akane was already there as well. In my panic, the diameter of one of the stage's pillars wasn't at the forefront of my mind, so I easily fell for the trick."

"Well, that's understandable." Nagito said. "I mean, it makes sense that you'd notice Ibuki's body right away."

"So they used the baton lighting on the ceiling to hang the wallpaper?" Sonia asked.

"The baton lighting forms a perfect circle around the pillar... so using it to hang the wallpaper totally fits."

"Then... the reason the wallpaper was covered in so many stickers was to make it look like that pillar..." Mikan realized.

"That's how they hid the body." Maki agreed. "Then, after I left the music venue, all they had to do was peel it off and stuff it in the storage room."

"But the killer made a mistake." Chiaki added. "They accidentally ripped off a piece of the wallpaper. And because of that, a scrap was left on the baton lighting."

"The killer must've been in a hurry." Nagito said. "If their plan took too long, Maki could've walked in on them."

"But going to the trouble of hiding the body and the pillar is very bold... and risky..." Mikan said.

"But the crime itself would be much easier to pull off since they don't have much to do while Maki's gone. They just have to peel off that wallpaper and stash it in the storage room... It's not that big of a deal."

"Then... when was Akane actually killed?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Good point, and on that note... It's about time we shed some light on those imitation murders!"

"Um... you mentioned "imitation murder" more than once, but... what is that?" Monomi asked.

"Are you kidding me!?" Monokuma gasped. "You haven't seen my masterpiece, "The Wizard of Monomi 2.5D"!?"

"Heeeey! Don't put my likeness in your movies without my permission!"

"You're pretty noisy... for someone who eats moss balls."

"I don't eat moss balls! I just enjoy looking at them!"

"Can you two be quiet!?" Hiyoko asked impatiently. "We're trying to have a trial here, remember!?"

"I knew it..." Mikan muttered. "There are so many similarities, it must have been intentional..."

"Ibuki's death by hanging matches the scarecrow's death from the movie..." Fuyuhiko said. "Not just that, but Akane getting pinned up with arrows matches the lion's death..."

"It's as if both crimes were replicas of scenes from the movie." Gundham pointed out. "Although the mutilated tin man was omitted..."

"But why would the killer go through all that work to imitate the dumb movie?" Hiyoko asked.

"Based on what we know, the reason the killer chose these imitations isn't that difficult to figure out." Nagito explained.

"The reason the killer imitated two of the murders from the movie was so we'd mix up the killing order." Hajime answered.

"Then... Akane was actually killed before Ibuki...!?" Fuyuhiko realized.

"A valid line of reasoning..." Gundham said.

"Yeah, it's valid." Chiaki agreed. "The condition of Ibuki's body suggests that as well."

"What do you mean?" Gundham asked. In an instant, his confusion switched back to bravado. "Hmph... If you're going to cry and beg like that, then I guess I'll hear about the condition of Ibuki's body."

"...I'm not even crying."

"I'll let you sob as much as you want later! Just hurry up and tell me before I change my mind!"

"Look, Ibuki died by hanging, right?" Maki answered. "So the only time she ever walked was before she died, right?"

"What's wrong with that!?"

"We found faint bloodstains on the soles Ibuki's slippers. But Ibuki suffered no external injuries. Which means, she must have walked at some point after Akane died. Or, at the earliest, while Akane was bleeding out."

Sonia thought for a moment. "If Ibuki stepped on her blood..."

"It means Ibuki was still standing while Akane was mortally wounded." Hajime finished. "Which means Ibuki was still alive at the time Akane was killed!"

"Don't underestimate the power of the Evil Eye!" Gundham warned before laughing. "Fuhaha, is that it!? A shepherd dressed in his Sunday's finest still reeks of lamb, Hajime Hinata!"

"...D-Does that mean you have a rebuttal?"

""Does that mean you have a rebuttal?"... Hmph, that's a good line. But... are you sure you're sure? If I show you how serious I am, this world might be destroyed, you know!"

Hajime stared, confused.

"You're so frightened you can't even make a sound... It seems you've realized our difference in status. However, the time for conviction starts now! You better entertain me to the fullest! You're saying the blood on Ibuki's feet belonged to Akane? Hah, impossible! Try to remember the crime scene... There was no blood on the floor!"

"That's not it..." Hajime said. "The reason there was no blood on the floor is because the killer wiped it away afterwards."

"D-Don't say such foolish things...! You don't have proof of that at all..."

"...Yes, I do. If you look closely... there's a streak on the floor where blood was wiped away."

Chiaki nodded. "When the killer tried to hide Akane's body, they probably cleaned the blood at the same time but... Ibuki must've already stepped in it, and the killer didn't even realize it."

"The reason they wiped off the blood on the floor... was so we'd mix up the order of the murders, right?" Fuyuhiko realized. "Even if they're able to hide Akane's body, it'd be bad if her blood was left out in the open."

"Plus, with all the arrows in her body, they probably served to plug the wounds and stop her from bleeding..." Chiaki pointed out.

"Actually, the bleeding will stop once the heart stops beating, so I don't think they had to go that far..." Mikan explained.

"However, aside from you, I doubt anyone else here is aware of the details of the circulatory system." Maki added. "The killer likely didn't know, and tried using the arrows as plugs anyway."

"Um, speaking of that..." Hiyoko started, glancing warily at Maki. "Do you think the killer turned up the heater so it would screw with Mikan's autopsy?"

"Th-That's right! I didn't know the time of death because of the heater!"

"If the time of death wasn't mentioned in the Monokuma File, just to keep concrete evidence from us..." Hajime started.

"...Yep, since we have all this evidence, there's no one else who wants to object, right?" Chiaki asked. "Then it's decided! Akane was killed before Ibuki!"

"It appears that... it is wiser to retreat for now..." Gundham admitted. "Fine then... But regardless of good or evil, there's no deceit in upholding one's convictions."

"Now then, let us resume our debate..." Sonia said.

"Ah, wait a sec." Nagito interrupted. "There's something I want to run by Monokuma first."

"Huh? Again?" Hiyoko asked. "Didn't something like this happen last time, too?"

"Hey, if the victim actually committed suicide, what are we supposed to do?"

"The same as always..." Monokuma answered. "You have to vote for who the killer is... Think about it... A suicide means you've killed the most important existence of all: yourself. Unfortunately, that means there's no blackened to punish but... I guess in a pinch I can always punish Monomi."

"Why me!?"

"Um... Nagito?" Sonia asked. "What do you mean, "if the victim actually committed suicide"...?"

"I know what he's getting at." Maki said. "It wasn't a possibility before, since Monokuma said there was only one killer. But now that we know Akane was killed first, it's possible that Ibuki killed both our victims this time around. First Akane, then herself, out of guilt."

"You read my mind." Nagito praised. "Just what I'd expect from the Ultimate Criminologist."

"But doesn't that seem odd to you?" Byakuya asked. "Akane's death is clearly not an accident. Why would Ibuki kill, and then have a change of heart?"

"She was afflicted by the Despair Disease, remember? That means anything can happen..."

"But if Ibuki's the killer, she wouldn't have been able to falsify the sequence of the murders, right?" Chiaki pointed out. "After Maki saw the hanged body, the sudden appearance of Akane's body soon after means... the killer had to be alive at that time."

"Then she was alive!" Nagito agreed. "When Maki first discovered Ibuki, she was just pretending to be dead... If she waited until Maki left, that's when she could've made her move and messed with the crime scene."

"Sh-She hanged herself, remember!?" Fuyuhiko snapped. "There's no fucking way she could've faked that!"

"And, if she was going to fake her death, I think... she wouldn't have chosen hanging..." Chiaki said. "Her body would've been defenceless in that state. If anyone touched her, that alone would've ruined her plan."

"On top of that... I've seen my fair share of death." Maki admitted. "Even from that distance, I'd be able to tell a dead body from a pretender."

"Hmm, I see... so that means... There's no doubt that someone killed those two." Nagito decided. "I'm glad. Now I'm free to search for the killer."

Maki sighed. "Alright, so... back to square one: alibis."

"Since Maki has heard the broadcast, it is clear what time the crime took place!" Sonia said.

"Ah, but just to be sure... That radio doesn't have a record function, does it?" Chiaki asked.

"The radio? No, I checked." Maki answered.

"Then... the broadcast you heard was actually live?" Mikan asked.

"Technically, yes. But that doesn't mean the audio I heard was." With that, she reached into her pocket and revealed her ace in the hole. "I found this in Ibuki's cottage, along with many others like it."

"A... tape recorder?" Byakuya asked.

"It's not unusual for musicians to record and play back lyrics and such when they're coming up with new songs." Maki explained. "Ibuki, as you would guess, had a lot of recorders in her cottage. Most of them were still unused, but I found quite a few that were, including this one, with lyrics for "I Squeezed Out the Baby But I Have No Idea Who The Father Is." However, I found no recorder for "From Me to You Too," despite both songs being from the same concert."

"That is odd..." Sonia said. "What does it mean?"

"Let me spell it out: The song I heard Ibuki singing on the other end of the radio? It was "From Me to You Too." But it wasn't a full performance, obviously. It sounded like she just was singing to herself. Because that's exactly what she was doing... when she was recording it!"

Hajime nodded. "That makes sense. On top of that, we found recording tape in the pile of smashed radio parts, even though it had no recording function. The killer must've tried to dispose of the recorder by hiding it's pieces with the radio."

"Exactly." Maki's smirk left her face. "However, I'm not sure I like the implications this evidence brings up."

"The implications?" Hiyoko repeated.

"Why would the killer go to the effort of using a recorder? Because they were trying to disguise the time of the crime. But the crime couldn't have happened afterwards, since I discovered the body immediately after hearing the broadcast. Which means... the crime actually took place _earlier_. Much earlier."

Chiaki nodded. "Probably around midnight or dawn to avoid witnesses."

"But why did the killer go to the trouble of making a fake broadcast just so Maki could go to the crime scene?" Sonia asked.

Maki fingered her cat-ear hairband. "I... I think I might have an idea. But before I come out and say it, I think we should confirm my theory even further. If we do that... the killer's identity should become clear."

"...Huh!?"

"You fiend... Are you saying you already know who the killer is!?" Gundham asked.

"...N-No. I don't." It was so unlike her, to make such an obvious lie. Before someone could call her out on it, however, she pressed forward. "Anyway, I think our next step should be determining where the killer took the music venue radio when they played the recording."

"Couldn't they have just done it at the music venue...?" Mikan suggested.

"Perhaps, but I doubt it. They knew I would be arriving soon, so they would be putting themselves at risk. Plus, the acoustics of the music venue are designed well, obviously, but in the recording I heard... I didn't notice until now, but ignoring all the static the radio gave me, it still sounded... cramped. Wherever the radio was, it was far from a professional audio studio."

"The radio's range doesn't extend far." Byakuya said. "The motel would be too far, and even assuming it could reach the movie theatre, that place probably has similarly noticeable acoustics. I think the only two places that would work are the music venue, which we ruled out, and the hospital."

"Actually, doesn't the hospital make the most sense?" Hajime said. "Maki heard Ibuki's singing from the room she was staying in, right? The killer must have left the recorder playing in there to make Maki think the murder was happening recently, but they would need to retrieve it in order to do the broadcast."

He turned to Maki. "That's what you meant, when you said the killer's identity would become clear when we figure out the location."

"Hajime, have you figured out who the killer is?" Nagito asked.

"Hajime..." Maki's voice was almost a beg, but she stopped herself. They had to find the truth.

For his own part, Hajime looked pained as well. But he raised his hand and pointed at who he believed the culprit to be.

"Mikan... you're the killer, aren't you?"

"...Eeeeeek! U-Um... what are you talking about?"

"Like I said... aren't you the killer who murdered Ibuki and Akane?"

"K-Killer... h-huh? Haaaaah!? I-I'm the killer...? Wh-What is this!?"

"Hey, it's not like I'm saying she's innocent or anything, but isn't that kinda impossible?" Hiyoko asked. "The killer did all these crazy tricks, like the wallpaper, and the broadcast. Mikan's basically only good at medical stuff. She's just not smart enough to do something like this."

"Sh-She's right!" Mikan agreed, a little too quickly. "A clumsy, slowpoke like me killing someone...? Th-That's completely out of the question!"

"But... you and Maki are the only ones." Hajime argued. "Thanks to that broadcast, you two are the only ones who have the advantage of an alibi..."

"An alibi...? Was that the killer's goal?" Sonia asked.

"Now that you mention it, you guys brought that up earlier..." Nagito recalled. "Only Hajime, Maki, and Mikan have alibis."

"I-It's just a coincidence!" Mikan gasped.

"But you're the only one who could've played that recording during that broadcast." Hajime pressed. "Is that also a coincidence?"

"Haaah!?"

"At the time, you told Maki you would go upstairs to rest. From there, you took the tape recorder from Ibuki's room and played it through the radio, and had Maki listen to it on the other end!"

"Hah, wa... ha-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa..."

"Furthermore, Maki heard the broadcast at the hospital lobby... If someone wants to go upstairs from outside, they have to pass through the lobby."

"So it's impossible that someone who wasn't already in the hospital went inside for the broadcast!" Fuyuhiko realized.

"Not only that... I was still delirious from the Despair Disease..." Nagito said.

"So that must mean...!" Gundham started.

"P-Please wait a second!" Mikan begged. "Wh-Wh-What are you saying...!? I-I'm the killer...!? That's impossible! There's no way I could kill someone!"

"It's not literally impossible..." Nagito countered. "Can't you give a better defence than that?"

Her eyes darted frantically through all the faces in the courtroom, before finally settling on the Criminologist. "M-Maki! Say something, please! Don't leave me now...!"

Maki flinched, but refused to meet anyone's eyes. She seemed to be deep in thought. "I-I know. I'm trying..."

"J-Just like Hiyoko said, it is really hard to tie it all together..." Sonia admitted. "I mean, Mikan... is the killer...?"

"I agree... it is truly difficult to believe someone could be killed by such a slow-witted woman..." Gundham added.

"That "slow-witted" remark is not necessary..." Sonia said.

"Nyuh... it's fine... I've been like this for a long time..." Mikan said. "In a tournament for social punching bags, I'd easily win first place with my soft reputation... Nnh... even I can't deny that..."

"Mikan, stop!" Maki snapped. "Don't talk about yourself like that! That's not true...! You're not... not the killer..."

After a moment, Byakuya asked, "...Is your opinion unchanged, Hajime?"

"Do you still believe... this woman is the killer?" Gundham asked.

"Nnnh... D-Do you... hate me that much, Hajime...?" Mikan sobbed.

"No, he doesn't." Maki answered hastily. "He's just trying to be impartial. Right, Hajime?"

"U-Umm..." Hajime faltered. Everyone seemed in agreement that Mikan couldn't have pulled off this crime.

Before he could say anything further, Nagito spoke up. "...Ah, can you hold on a minute? Well... I know I'm being intrusive and all. And I mean, I have no place to say this... I missed all of the critical parts and I doubt I have anything worth saying at an important time like this..."

"Wh-What are you saying...?" Hajime asked.

"But still... there's definitely no way I can overlook the killer this time. I thought it was suspicious all along. From the very beginning... Investigating with a suspect in mind creates a different result than investigating with no leads..."

"...Hey, what are you trying to say?" Gundham asked.

"Well, thanks to that... I was able to discover a truth that nobody else knows. I've been so focused on everybody else this trial... but I guess now's a good time to say it, right?"

"You better not have kept quiet on purpose!" Fuyuhiko threatened. "This isn't a game, you know!"

"Actually, this _is _a game!" Monokuma corrected.

"Please don't say such controversial statements!" Monomi begged.

"Well... what do you know, Nagito?" Chiaki asked.

"Well, it's nothing big, really... Only a small, decisive clue that points to the killer."

"Are you... serious?" Maki asked.

"A d-decisive clue...?" Mikan asked. "Does something like that... really exist?"

"Let's take a look, shall we...? Regarding the rope Ibuki was dangling from... This rope... was supplied by the supermarket, right? There weren't any ropes inside the music venue."

"The supermarket again!?" Hiyoko asked. "Why does everything dangerous seem to come from there?"

"If they got it at the supermarket, that means it was brand-new, right?"

"...What's wrong with that?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I want you to take a close look at this rope, and keep in mind it's brand-new... Near the middle of the rope... It's frayed, as if it were rubbed strongly. But why is it like this? The loop Ibuki used to hang herself is on one end of the rope... And the part of the rope that hung from the baton lighting is on the other end..."

"What's wrong with that?" Hiyoko asked.

"It means... well, from what I can infer, I think the rope was used like this. The killer wrapped the rope around Ibuki's neck, pulled both ends at full strength, and strangled her. The centre of the rope is frayed because that's the part they used to strangle Ibuki."

"Hold on..." Hajime interrupted. "I've been listening to you for a while, and it sounds like you knew about this rope clue all along... What exactly did you say to me during the investigation?"

"Not everyone cooperates at a class trial... Those who lie and conceal the truth will obviously be here too... Just like this case's killer! I was just copying them a little bit!"

"...Huh?"

"H-How is that a decisive clue!?" Mikan asked.

"Huh? You didn't notice it? I thought I made the decisive clue... very clear. Ibuki didn't die from hanging... She was strangled to death."

"That's basically the same thing!" Hiyoko argued.

"Though hanging and strangling seem similar, they're very different." Chiaki said. "The scars they leave would look different, too."

"Scars... You mean the rope burn, right...?" Sonia asked.

"But we believed it was from a hanging..." Nagito said. "Why would that be?"

"Did we perhaps fall for someone's trick?" Byakuya wondered.

"I agree with that!" Hajime shouted. "So that's what happened...! We've been falling for the killer's lie this whole time...! You said Ibuki hanged herself, but that was a complete lie, wasn't it Mikan?"

"Th-That is... well..."

"You told us the wrong cause of death! You lied, didn't you!?"

"Hah-haaaaaaaaaaaah...!"

"You should've been able to tell the difference between hanging and strangling, just by looking." Nagito said. "You, Mikan, the Ultimate Nurse..."

"Eeee... Please wait. F-First of all... I'm not a coroner... so I don't have the medical knowledge to identify injuries like that... That's why... it's not my fault if I made a mistake!"

"Y-You are right..." Sonia agreed. "And... you have been a great help to us so far..."

"But even a drunk medical student can notice the difference between a hanging and strangulation." Nagito argued.

"I'm not taking her side or anything... but being clumsy and unskilled in this area could lead to a mistake..." Fuyuhiko added.

"H-He's totally right...!" Mikan agreed. "Hehe... I'm such a clumsy mess and I got sooooo careless...!"

"But..." Maki struggled for the words. "You wouldn't make a mistake like that. If there's one thing you would never mistake, it's anything medical... You never did before..."

"Don't you think her devotion to nursing is what helped her draw Ibuki to her death?" Nagito offered. "And if not... Her symptoms were still very serious, and caused her to believe what anybody told her... It wouldn't surprise me if she willingly followed Mikan _because _she was nursing her."

"You're saying... she planned this from the very start?" Byakuya asked.

"That's a little..." Fuyuhiko hesitated. "Aren't you like the thief who suspects everyone else of being thieves?"

"I'm not a criminal, Mikan is! I mean... she's a killer, you know!"

"You've got it all wrong! Please forgive me!" Mikan begged.

"I'm sorry, but there's no way I can forgive you. I just can't forgive this crime at all."

"Um... Forgiveness or not... we still have not decided if Mikan is the killer..." Sonia reminded him.

"...Hmm, I see... You guys are kind... Well, if that's the choice everyone makes, then the only thing I can do is back off, I guess... But is that really okay? Is that everyone's hope?"

"B-But... I'm really... really not the killer... Th-There's no way I'm capable of killing someone..."

"...Is that really true?" Hajime asked.

"Eeeeeee!?"

"Stop it!" Maki snapped.

"...I can't stop!" Hajime choked. "I... don't want to do this either...! Of course I don't want to do this...! But... I _need _to do this...!"

"God dammit! I can't... keep doing this. I'm so tired... of being suspected, and suspecting my friends...! If that's what you want, then..."

"That's not it! I suspect them because I want to believe them!"

Maki took a step back, dumbfounded. "Wh-What...?"

"Um... I don't think belief and doubt are necessarily opposites." Chiaki explained. "I do doubt her... but I still want to believe her. Belief lies at the heart of that conflict. Cuz... if there's no room for doubt, then there's no reason to believe, is there? If you want to believe in someone... you need to overcome doubt first. Belief without doubt... is simply a lie."

Maki leaned against her podium. "A lie...?" She didn't want to lie anymore. Not to herself, or her friends. She was a woman of the truth. The question was... did she truly believe in Mikan? Could she say with 100% certainty that she wasn't the killer? Blinking back tears, she had to admit that she could not. Because her belief had no doubt to back it.

Mikan, meanwhile, cocked her head at Chiaki. "...Huh? Is that all you can say? Ah, so in the end... you're all just a bunch of bullies, huh? Justifying your actions with fancy words... M-Making excuses for why it's not really your fault... E-Everyone always treats me like that... Always... "It's all her fault..." "Sh-She's the one with the problem..." I... I'm done with that! You hear me!? I'm doooooooooone!"

Her sudden outburst sent shock throughout the room. "H-Hey... Mikan...?" Fuyuhiko started.

"It's not fair..." She muttered. "It's not fair not fair not fair notfair notfair notfair notfairnotfairnotfairnotfairnotfair... Why won't you forgive me!? If you did something wrong... you'd forgive yourself right away...! What did I do!? Why won't anybody forgive me!?"

The only one in the room with a blank stare was Nagito, who sighed. "...Is acting like this your strategy now? Well, this is annoying. Plus... to be honest, I've run out of ideas. How can we get you to admit it...? That's the issue."

"If we don't have any clues... Why don't we have her give us some?" Chiaki suggested. "I'm... the same as Maki. I don't want to doubt any of my friends... But still... the truth is one of us murdered two of our friends... That's why... we gotta stick with this until the very end. So we can break these chains of despair."

Maki stood straighter. "Mikan... I want to believe in you. So... I need you to answer one more thing. If you're not the killer, then who made that fake broadcast I heard?"

"O-Oh... are you gonna turn against me now, too... Alice?"

As the students' eyes fell on her, Maki shook her head. "No... But I swore I wouldn't lie anymore, and I won't. Above all, I'm on the side of the truth. And if you want the truth to set you free... then you need to cooperate with me. Please, help me prove you're not the killer!"

"P-Prove it...? Wait... Do you have any proof that _I'm _the one who fabricated that broadcast? Waaaaaaaaah! That's right! Show me your proof! B-B-B-B-Because... you're just assuming the broadcast happened at the hospital...! T-Treating my like a killer b-based on an assumption... J-Just because I was at the hospital... Th-That's totally crazy...! I didn't do anything wrong...! Why does everybody always hate me!? Please, just forgive me already!"

"I-Is this broad really okay...!?" Fuyuhiko asked. "She's emotionally unstable...!"

"I-I-I-I'm not the killer! That broadcast... I never played th-th-th-th-that broadcast!"

"Hm... It seems she finally started arguing for us." Chiaki said. "But the only one who can find the hole in her argument... is you, Maki. So... I'm going to have to leave this to you."

Maki glanced at her. She hadn't thought much of the Gamer before. Just a girl with a sense of justice and a good mind for investigating. But now, she found herself terrified of Chiaki. Even with all her talk of friendship, she had pushed Maki to this point. To condemn Mikan. To _kill _her. That was Chiaki's plan.

"Why do you get to decide I'm the killer?" Mikan asked. "Where's your proof!? Please forgive me alreaaaady! I'm not the killer!"

"We can't think of anybody else other than you who could've played that broadcast." Nagito argued.

"Huh? Do you have any proof? Is the background static suspicious? Is Ibuki's singing the proof? Or could it be Akane's crying?"

"I'm sorry..." Maki muttered, pointing across the room to the Nurse. "Mikan... you made a grave mistake..."

"M-Mistake...?"

Holding back tears, Maki reminded herself that she had to make the truth known. _I'm the only one who heard that broadcast. Who's going to do this if I don't? _"Whenever I've talked about what I heard in the broadcast, I always made sure not to say too much..."

"Wh-What's wrong with that...?"

"Not once have I ever mentioned hearing Akane in the broadcast, let alone that she was crying."

"...Aaaah!"

"So, h-how did you... How did you know that I heard anything from her this morning!?"

"Heeeeeeeeeeee...!"

Nagito thought for a moment. "The only reason Mikan knew what Maki heard... is because you're the person who played the recording of her crying... Is that right?"

"This is your just reward." Chiaki said. "The more desperately you argue, the deeper you dig yourself into a hole... You lied, didn't you?"

"...Guhhhhhhhh!"

"Is it... Is it true, Mikan?" Maki asked. "You... really are the killer, aren't you? I didn't want to believe it, but..."

"Wh-Why...? Wh-Why can't you forgive me...!? Why...!?"

"It seems... her desperate struggle is finally coming to an end." Nagito said.

"Why does everybody always hate me!? You should just forgive me already!"

"Please, just stop..." Maki begged. "It's over. After I go over the whole case one more time, your entire crime will be revealed.

"The key to this incident is the radio broadcast that only I heard. I'll start with that to unravel this mystery. When I was waiting for Fuyuhiko and Hajime in the hospital lobby, I heard the radio spark to life. This caught me off guard, because it was ahead of the scheduled time. What shocked me further, however, was what I heard on the other end. Ibuki was singing on the other end of the radio, with Akane crying in the background. The radio was set up for two-way communication between the hospital and the music venue, so I immediately ran that way, hoping to stop whatever was happening. What I didn't know was that I was already ensnared in the killer's trap. In truth, the radio was moved to a different place, somewhere within the hospital. Doing this, they planted the assumption in my mind that the murder had happened at that moment. But in truth, I was far too late.

"When I arrived at the music venue, I found Ibuki's body hanging from the baton lighting. Panicked, I ran to the motel to gather everyone else. But that was also part of the killer's trap. As if tagging me out, the killer entered the music venue and started working on their final trick. First, the killer peeled off the wallpaper covering one of the stage pillars, revealing Akane's body. Due to my panicked state, I didn't realize there was anything off about the pillar when I first arrived. Next, the killer smashed the radio and tape recorders they used for the broadcast trick. Finally, they turned the crime scene into a closed room. They broke one of the drumsticks from the storage room and placed it near the music venue's entrance. They did this to mislead us into believing the music venue was locked from the inside. The real lock used was glue. By sealing the door with glue, the killer created a locked room that could be forced open.

"With that, the killer finished tampering with the crime scene and met up with Fuyuhiko and Hajime, and eventually, Chiaki and I. They helped us break down the door to the music venue, despite being the one who sealed it... And they made us discover not just Ibuki's body, but Akane's sudden appearance as well. At the time, they pretended to be surprised, but... Inside, they were probably filled with glee that their plot had turned out so well...

She pointed across the room. "Isn't that right, Mikan Tsumiki, the Ultimate Nurse!? This whole operation was performed by you, wasn't it!?"

With a sickening smile on her face, Mikan giggled, slowly getting louder as she burst into maniacal laughter. "Haaaa... it's been suuuuuuuch a long time... This feeling... I know it well... Like the floor is collapsing... like the sky is falling down upon you... This feeling of despair!"

"M-Mikan...!" Sonia gasped. "You... what has happened to you...!?"

"...Whoa there, before that, a moment of your time!" Monokuma interrupted. "It seems your arguments have reached a conclusion, so let's proceed to our regularly scheduled voting time! Now then, please pull the lever in front of you and cast your vote. Who will be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? Let's go!"

Everyone grabbed the levers that popped out of the podiums in front of them, and pulled them to select who they thought the blackened was. With that, her fate was sealed, and that was the end of their third class trial.

* * *

**Haha, yeah. I'm an asshole.**

**First of all, as usual, I'd like to apologize to the fans of the deceased. Mikan's a great character who, I believe, got the shaft by the Danganronpa writers. I wouldn't be surprised if they were just going off on a dare, like "I bet you can't make a character who blatantly exists as a submissive waifu, yet has deep qualities that are hidden in her FTEs, or otherwise unexplored." Thanks, guys. I'm not even her biggest fan, but I told myself that I wanted to give Mikan a bigger role in the story at large. Due to my rules, however, I'd have to really bend to let her survive this chapter. So instead, I took some of Al's advice from the finale of AH, and decided that her legacy would be how she lives on. The way she affected the survivors will affect the future.**

**Maki is a naturally distrustful person. I'm not sure if that comes across clearly, because she's good at pretending she's not. But really, when was the last time she revealed anything significant about herself? The only time I can think of off the top of my head is her talk with Mikan a couple chapters ago. Because Mikan reminded her of a friend from her past, Maki was able to open up to her, and realize that she doesn't want to be a distrustful liar. She was setting up for character development... and now that's all going to come crashing down, because she trusted the wrong person. Just like she always does. But we'll get to that reveal later in the story.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see the aftermath of the trial, and what Albert and friends are up to now.**


	25. Chapter 24

**I know a lot of people are iffy about the last trial. Trust me, I read you loud and clear. Thing is, chapter 3 of the 2nd game is widely considered to be the worst murder in the entire series. I knew I wasn't getting through here without a couple scrapes. I'm not trying to make excuses, just saying. Ultimately, I'm better at writing emotional stakes than I am at writing mysteries. So, when writing this murder, I made the choice to focus on the emotional impact it would have on the characters, rather than writing some interesting brain-teaser. Maybe it was the right choice, maybe not, but the fact of the matter is, I managed to turn an awful trial into one that's just "disappointing." And while not ideal, that's good enough for me.**

**At the very least, I can promise that the next chapter's going to be more interesting. While I'm unsure how the trial will handle it, I'm planning a premise that no Danganronpa game has really attempted yet. But that's all I'll say without spoilers.**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

**Break My Heart**

Monokuma nodded as he tallied up the votes. "Now then, though it may be obvious at this point... You got it right once again! That's like three in a row! That's right, the true identity of the horrifying blackened who killed two girls is Mikan Tsumiki!"

"Why...?" Maki asked, staring at the floor. "Why did you do it? Were you planning this all along? I just don't get it..."

"Hah... hahaha!"

"Sh-She's completely delirious." Byakuya said. "We're going nowhere."

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha."

"This is nothing like Peko..." Fuyuhiko muttered. "She's actually... gone mental...!"

"There's nothing we can do." Nagito shrugged. "She's no longer the same person. She's... no longer the Mikan Tsumiki we knew."

"...Huh?"

"Based on my predictions... She might've caught it, too. She probably had the Despair Disease, which was the motive for this case..."

"Mikan, too... you say...?" Gundham asked.

"I know because I was looking at Mikan for so long. She was the one taking care of me, after all. My consciousness kept drifting but even so, when I did catch a glimpse of her, her expression was... Full of despair. A despair so devoid of hope that not even a single fragment of it remained."

"Wait... Mikan also had the Despair Disease?" Maki asked. "That doesn't make sense... She should've shown other symptoms... A fever, at least!"

"But... because of that disease, Mikan was...?" Sonia started.

"The symptoms she surely felt must've been deserving of the name, Despair Disease." Nagito said. "Losing all hope... and harbouring despair for all hope... Because of the Despair Disease, she was likely overcome with despair. That's the reason why... she can still laugh in such a hopeless situation."

Everyone turned their attention to the Nurse, who continued to laugh hysterically.

"Which means the Mikan before us is no longer the Ultimate Nurse. She's a completely different person now that she's infected by the Despair Disease... She's a human who deserves to be called the Ultimate Despair!"

The title sent chills down the spines of everyone in the room. Everyone, of course, except Mikan, who continued to laugh.

"That's the reason why... I cannot forgive this. I mean, killing someone for the sake of despair, instead of for the sake of hope... There's no way I can forgive that."

"For the sake of despair...?" Mikan finally said. "Haha, that's completely wrong!"

"...Wrong? Wrong... what's wrong?"

"What I did... was for the sake of my beloved."

Maki looked up from the floor and stared, eyes wide. "...What...?"

"Wh-Who are you talking about...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"If only they were still alive... They'd be so happy... I know. My beloved... was the only one... That's right, the only one who... never hated me. They forgave my existence. They forgave me and accepted me. They gave me value. They loved me. I loved them with all my heart and they returned it in full. This is... my reciprocation."

"But... B-But..." Maki struggled for the words, before suddenly she snapped. "What about me!?"

"...What _about _you?"

The response cut deep, and Maki stumbled backward. "What...?"

Mikan spoke, with a surprising amount of lucidity. "Too little, too late. You weren't there to provide me with affection, when I needed it the most. Do you really think I would choose you over my beloved? That you could earn my love so easily, when my heart already belongs to another? I wish I knew what it was like to have that much confidence in myself... But, to me, it looks like that overconfidence was your weakness. Because of it, even someone like me was able to play with your heart, and betray you so easily."

"B-Betray..." Maki couldn't come up with a retort. Everything Mikan said was true. She _was _overconfident. She _was _completely tricked by the act. She _was _too late. And the worst part was, there was no measure she could've taken to prevent herself from growing attached to Mikan. Just as they always had, her emotions made a fool out of her. She sank to her knees, sobbing quietly.

Mikan caught the stares of the other classmates, and added, "I understand that I did something unforgivable. But you know, but you know! To transcend all that is truly... what love is all about!"

"I don't understand... what you're saying." Nagito said.

"You don't understand? Is it because you don't have anyone to love? Is it because you're also someone who isn't accepted by anyone?... What a pity. I feel sorry for you."

Nagito himself was left speechless by the response.

"Even if I say this... I'm sure nobody here would understand but... Love is a wonderful thing. Ahhh, this feeling of freedom where you no longer care about anything! My beloved and I are the only ones within that thin veil, and I'm just looking out through it... That's why... as long as I'm on the inside, no matter how much they tease me, splash me with water, kick me... It's like nothing matters! I could just die, that's how little it matters! Who cares about hope or despair! It's love, only love!"

"Nagito... is this really the Despair Disease you were talking about?" Chiaki wondered.

"It seems that... I was wrong... Not only was she affected by despair..."

"You were half right." Mikan said. "It's right to say that this is all thanks to that disease. Because... thanks to that disease, I was able to remember by beloved."

"Re... member...?" Hajime repeated.

"Apparently that's what my symptom was. Haha... what a wonderful symptom..."

"Which means you had... the Remembering Disease?"

"But if this means she remembered something and ended up like this..." Nagito started. "Are you saying you were like this from the start? Were you like this before you even came to this island?"

"D-Don't get so angry...!" Mikan begged. "Well... first of all... The reason I became like this wasn't my fault. It was all your fault, you know? Because... it's not like I'm entirely responsible for turning out like this... I'm the person I am today because of many human relationships. From the random strangers giving me odd looks, to the harsh bullies like Hiyoko there. So... it's everybody's fault that I turned out like this, you see? Even so... the current me was most strongly influenced by my beloved's existence. And it was also my beloved who created the me that everyone can't forgive. But my beloved still forgives me and still accepts me... That is the key difference between all of you and my beloved. Even you couldn't forgive me, Alice. Only my beloved."

"Stop..." Maki choked.

"Like I said... who the fuck are you talking about!?" Fuyuhiko snapped.

Rather than give them the pleasure of answering the question on all their minds, Mikan simply burst into laughter again.

"Mikan... please answer me... Did you really remember?" Hajime asked. "You ended up like this... all because you remembered? There's no way I can believe that! There's no way... the person you are right now is the real Mikan...!"

"Ohhh... You still doubt me...? Then... to prove I remember, I'll tell you all something nice! It's about that World Ender organization that you all were worrying about."

"You know something? Tell us!" Byakuya demanded.

"Not know... I just remembered, that's all. I knew about it all along. How that horrifying organization known as "World Ender"... Is also the organization known as the Future Foundation."

"...Just what is the Future Foundation?" Nagito asked. "What are they planning?"

"As the name suggests, that organization is the "World Ender." The Future Foundation... is trying to end our world. To put it simply... They're trying to claim the world for themselves. As part of their plan to end the world, the Future Foundation... brought us to this island. Isn't that right, Monomi?"

"...Huh?"

"I-I knew it...!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "Monomi... Monokuma... They're both members of that crazy organization, aren't they?"

"Puhuhu. Monomi and I aren't members." The bear said. "I am Monokuma! My existence is entirely my own! Puhuhuhuhu."

"Puhuhuhuhu." Mikan mimicked.

"Don't laugh." Nagito said. "Hey Mikan... If you really so remember... Then you already know, right? You know the true identity of the traitor hiding among us."

"Ahaha, of course I know that! Let's see... the Future Foundation lackey that's hiding among you all... is... Oh well, nobody really cares about that, don't you think? You'll find out eventually... so there's no need to be impatient. Probably... when that countdown ends."

"You... you even know about that...!?" Hajime asked.

"I don't know anything."

"...Huh?"

"I have a feeling that's what it is, but... who cares about that, you know? I'm drowning in so much love... From the bottom of my heart, I just don't care about anyone or anything."

"M-Mikan...! Is this really you!?" Sonia asked.

"I-I won't believe it...!" Hajime said. "There's no way I can believe... you were like this all along... Because... if that's true...! Then who's the person we've been spending time with up until now!?"

"...The past."

"...P-Past?"

"That person... She didn't exist in the beginning... She's just my past self who lost her school memories... Haha... you guys considered that thing a friend, or even something more." She sighed. "...That doesn't make me happy at all. It just fills me with despair. You guys accepted my past self, but not my present self..."

"Th-That's...!"

"Well... that applies to you all as well. Memories of people... memories of events... Whatever memory it is, losing memories are... like losing your personal identity. Memory is the most important component in building a person... Don't you think? Losing our memories... makes us shadows of the past. Don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're trying to say but... In the end, it always leads back to that story." Nagito said. "That story about our stolen school lives..."

"S-So... it's true? We really did lose our memories?" Hiyoko asked.

"If it wasn't true... we wouldn't be suffering this much...!" Fuyuhiko said.

"Well, why don't you just take your sweet time and remember at your own pace?" Mikan suggested. "Oh Monokuuuuuuuma... Is it alright for you to start now?"

"...Punishment time?" The bear asked.

"No..." Maki suddenly looked up. "I can't... This is too much...!"

"Now then, I have prepared a special punishment for the Ultimate Nurse, Mikan Tsumiki."

"So it's over." The Nurse muttered. "It's really... Now I can go to my beloved who always forgives me...! I can finally see them. Please forgive me, the one who's going to die with the hope of finally seeing you!"

Maki jumped to her feet. "No! Don't leave me, Mikan! Please!"

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's... PUNISHMENT TIIIME!"

Chains flew out from the wall behind Mikan and wrapped themselves around her. With breakneck speed, they pulled her into her execution chamber.

"No! I can't lose you, Mikan! Not again! _I can't lose you again!_"

Maki attempted to run into the chamber after the Nurse. She didn't make it far before Fuyuhiko tackled her, preventing her from making the same mistake he did. Despite the sudden resistance, she fought him with unnatural strength. Byakuya reacted next, helping Fuyuhiko restrain her. She screamed bloody murder as the monitors in the trial room lit up. Lying on a hospital bed, in a plain hospital room, was Mikan. Monokuma entered the room, dressed in a nurse's uniform, and carrying a massive syringe filled with eerie green liquid.

**"Bye-Bye Ouchies!" **Monokuma ran at Mikan with the syringe, before jabbing it into the floor just before her bed. As if unlocked with a key, the room promptly opened and unfolded, revealing that they were in the middle of the desert. Suddenly, a massive arm-shaped rocket popped out of the ground, knocking Mikan out of her bed and leaving her straddling it. Monokuma injected the syringe into the arm, emptying its contents into it. During this process, Mikan grew increasingly ecstatic, ultimately letting out an orgasmic moan as the syringe completely emptied.

The arm changed from its skin tone to a bright red, curling its hand into a fist as it began to launch. Monokuma hung on by the syringe, and they rose quickly into the air, accelerating at an extreme pace. About halfway up, the part of the arm below the elbow disconnected, falling to the ground with Monokuma, while the main body continued to blast off. Eventually, the rocket reached space, and Mikan clung on for dear life as it showed no signs of stopping.

The camera cut back to the ground, where Monokuma landed face-first in the sand, like a cartoon character. In the sky, a twinkle was the only sign of where Mikan was. With that, the video feed cut to black.

Maki was no longer fighting. She was laying on the ground, collapsed, and openly crying. Over and over, she muttered one word. "Why?"

The others stood in silence, clearly unsatisfied with this conclusion. Gundham wondered aloud, "Who was that Mikan... from earlier? Was that her true form? Or... is that itself a symptom of the Despair Disease?"

"...It doesn't matter either way." Nagito declared. "If she ended up like that just from "remembering"... Then all along, Mikan was never worth being a Symbol of Hope. Even if her words were influenced by the Despair Disease, if that disease turned her into that... If she lost herself to a simple disease, she was definitely unworthy of being a Symbol of Hope. So... let's just move on. C'mon, let's take all this despair and change it into hope!"

"Th-That is impossible!" Sonia cried. "I mean... I thought we were friends this whole time... but even so..."

"That stupid... trashy... skanky... dumb bitch..." Hiyoko muttered. "To go and do something like this... Just our luck, I bet she's not even the traitor, is she...?"

"Too bad. That isn't the case." Monokuma confirmed. "Mikan was not the traitor. The traitor is still alive. As proof, see how fine Monomi looks right now."

"I-I'm not fine at all..." Monomi said, appearing ill at the execution.

"But if the traitor died, you wouldn't look this calm, right? I mean... you're both pawns of the Future Foundation. So you guys are like two hearts beating as one, right?"

"What does that make you, fiend?" Gundham asked. "You did say that you're different than Monomi..."

"Who cares about who I am!? More important, I'm tired! The drama just kept going and going, I didn't even have time to eat my black bean right eye during the break!"

"You're right eye is made out of black beans!?" Monomi gasped. "...Wait, now's not the time to focus on that. What are you trying to say!?"

"You know, isn't it said that life has its ups and downs? It's fun because downs come after ups, but if life was full of downs, wouldn't it get boring? Sooooo in order to help you guys feel better, I've prepared a special event!"

"...Special event?" Hajime repeated.

"Head over to the 1st island's beach. An old friend will be waiting there."

"Old friend...?"

"Do you mean...? Is it Nekomaru?" Byakuya wondered.

"I knew it..." Fuyuhiko said. "I knew that crazy bastard Nekomaru would come back to us in one piece!"

"Awesome! We're starting to see the light of hope!" Nagito cheered.

"The light of hope...?" Sonia repeated. "Um... I am happy Nekomaru is returning to us, but... but I... Three of our friends just died... So I honestly cannot be happy... However... Even so, I am still happy... If Nekomaru is safe, I am truly happy...!"

"Um... "Safe"... how should I say this... hmm..." Monokuma shuffled awkwardly.

"If you are happy... you should honestly greet him with open arms." Gundham suggested, ignoring the bear. "Perhaps those who have been taken from us would do the same if they still lived..."

Fuyuhiko chuckled. "Hey, Supreme Overlord of Who-Gives-A-Shit... That line doesn't suit you at all."

"Silence. I shall crush you into dust."

"Ibuki, Akane... Mikan. Can you hear us?" Sonia prayed. "If you are unhappy, I apologize... However... please forgive me for right now... I... want to warmly welcome Nekomaru when he returns to us!"

"You don't have to worry, Sonia... I'm sure your feelings are reaching them..." Hajime assured her.

"Then let's all go greet Nekomaru." Chiaki decided. "Let's make it grand, even for those who have died."

"...Yeah. Why not?" Maki agreed. Her voice was hoarse, and she made no attempt to wipe the tears from her face. She slowly stood and joined the others, but didn't look anyone in the eye.

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Hiyoko asked. "Let's go, already!"

"...Yeah, you're right." Hajime agreed.

With that, the remaining students ran to the elevator, and left the trial room once again, leaving Monokuma and Monomi alone.

As the elevator loudly rose, Monokuma looked dejected. "Maaaan... They just ran off without listening to what I had to say... Jeez, they're so impatient! Didn't they learn to stick around until others have finished talking!"

"Wh-What does that mean?" Monomi asked. "You... You're plotting something again, aren't you!?"

"Puhuhu. I'm not plotting anything... I was just trying to properly explain everything to them. Including... Nekomaru's body..."

"...Huh? Nekomaru's body?"

"Puhuhu... It's their fault for not sticking around until I finished talking... So if something happens because of that, I bear no responsibility!"

"Y-You... what did you do to Nekomaru...?"

"What did I do...? I just saved him, that's all. I mean, if I didn't do _that_... there's no way I could've stopped someone who was that close to death... So it just couldn't be helped. Puhu... puhuhuhu..."

* * *

No one dared slow down as they made their way to the beach on the 1st island. As they reached their destination, their heads turned to survey the entire landscape. There was no one else around.

"Where... where in the world is Nekomaru?" Hajime asked.

"We have come to pick you up!" Sonia announced. "Please hurry up and come out of hiding!"

They began splitting up, running up and down the length of the beach, calling his name. But no response came.

Fuyuhiko gripped his side as he slowed down, breathing heavily. "What the fuck...? Where the hell is he?"

"...Did Monokuma lie to us?" Byakuya wondered.

Suddenly, a new voice cut across the beach. "Gaaaah-hahahaha! What happened!? Were you all looking for me!?"

"Th-That voice!" Sonia gasped.

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice, and their jaws dropped. Rising over a dune in the distance was Nekomaru, but something was different.

"...Huh? What the-?" Hajime sputtered.

"Yo! I've kept you waiting!" He called out. He noticed their silence and shocked expressions, and asked, "Hey, what's going on!? Perhaps you don't remember my face since we haven't seen each other in a while!? That's pretty sad, you know! That's too much! Gaaaaah-hahahaha!"

"Um... Nekomaru?" Chiaki asked. "Haven't you... noticed it yourself?"

"What do you mean, "noticed...?" Oh, you mean this body!? Gah-hahaha! This is nothing!"

The robot standing before them flexed his arms, his eyes shining brightly in the dark of the night. "The name's NEKOMARU NIDAI! I've been reborn in the fires of hellllllll! Gah-hahahahaha!"

* * *

I walked through the halls of the administration building. I didn't have a destination in mind, but the trial was over, and I needed to stretch my legs and organize my thoughts. I didn't want to fall apart like I did before. I had to stay sharp. Of course, while I've been doing good at getting my sleep, I doubted I'd be able to tonight.

One of the things on my mind was a question Chiaki posed to me, just before I left. If Junko was able to restore the subjects' memories... why didn't she just do that to all of them? I had to admit, I couldn't offer a satisfying answer. I knew her end goal was to override the consciousnesses of all the deceased subjects, so that we'd have a bunch of Junko's running around with their insane intellect and despair-fuelled sadism, essentially creating a second, even worse Tragedy for us to deal with. If she restored their memories and made them go crazy, that would certainly increase the number of deaths, maybe even eliminating all of them, except Izuru. Of course, Junko loves spreading despair... maybe she just wanted to drive them all to despair all over again? I'd feel more confident if I had Miaya to bounce ideas off of, but she was sleeping right now. I'd have to add that to my checklist for later.

The main thing on my mind, however, was Maki Yugami, or rather, Alice Kizuki. Just today alone, I've learned more about her than I had during the entire killing game. With Celeste's and Miaya's help, I might be able to create a more accurate profile, but I'm not sure how well that'd help us at this stage. Her name was fake all along, which doesn't really make any sense. The system lists her as "Maki Yugami," and the system should have access to her deepest thoughts. That's why the Ultimate Imposter is listed as "?," because that's all they know themself as. Hajime is listed as "Hajime Hinata," but that's because his memories of any other name have been erased. But Alice obviously still remembers her real name, she was the one who brought it up.

Another thing was the reason she fell in love with Mikan. She stated that Mikan reminded her of someone from her past, a confidant and lover. This is literally the least vague statement she ever made about her past, but I still have no idea what to do with it. Who is this lover? I need a name, or at least a description more precise than "similar to Mikan." She said her lover died, but how? Was she related at all to the death? Did she _cause _it? Every new piece of evidence we gain just raises more questions, just confuses us further.

Speaking of confusion, I had considered that maybe nothing Maki- er, Alice was saying was true. She seemed to have some reservations about doing... well, anything in front of the surveillance cameras. She even hung a coat over the one in her cottage. Did she somehow know we were viewing her through those cameras, and decided to try and mislead us by faking that whole story? I considered it, but... I ultimately decided to drop that line of thinking. Aside from it leading down a rabbit hole that Occam's Razor would have a field day with, I have a feeling that, for what it's worth, Alice truly loves Mikan.

I know what it's like to love, and I know what it's like to lose. From the relief she showed when confiding in Mikan, to the distress she showed when accusing her of murder, to the pure anguish she showed when the Nurse was executed... I know Maki has both loved and lost.

No, not Maki. Alice.

"Alice Kizuki..." I muttered aloud. Why would that name come up now, of all times? It didn't matter. I had a lead. One lead. And you can bet your ass I'm gonna follow it all the way.

I turned and walked into the staff room, and paused. I wasn't alone. Kyoko was already here.

"Oh, hello, Al. I was just making some coffee. Care to join me?"

I blinked. I wasn't much of a coffee drinker, I much prefer hot chocolate, but... Well, I was planning on pulling an all-nighter anyway. And even still, this was a rare opportunity. Kyoko was inviting me to sit and share a drink with her. I can't remember the last time the two of us had a chat all by ourselves, if we ever did in the first place. I wasn't gonna pass this up. "Sure. Thanks."

A few moments passed in silence before she asked, "How do you take yours?"

"Huh? Oh, you don't have to... I mean, I can-"

"Just tell me."

"...Double-double."

I made my way over to a sofa in the corner, with a fancy glass coffee-table before it, as Kyoko poured our coffee into two different mugs. She filled mine with cream and sugar, but put only sugar in her own. Then she made her way over, handed me my mug, and sat down next to me.

I sipped my coffee awkwardly. Despite being an introvert myself, I definitely handled more outgoing people like Makoto and Hina better, or even people who were shy yet approachable, like Chihiro. Kyoko, though, was difficult. Mostly because I had to be the one to start the conversation, and I had to make sure nothing I said would make me sound like an idiot, an asshole, or both, but even having meta-knowledge of her only got me so far. Wasn't she the star of a spinoff novel in Japan? Maybe if I read that, it would help here... Wait, that sounds kinda creepy. Holy shit, I must've been sounding really creepy to everyone this whole time.

Kyoko shocked me out of my thoughts by speaking first. "I wanted to ask... Well, I suppose there's no beating around the bush. I was wondering: How are you?"

"I'm... better. I've been getting my sleep." I knew that didn't truly answer her question, I was just dodging.

"You surprised me with that stunt you pulled." She explained. "I always saw you as one of the more grounded members of our class. I wouldn't have guessed you would do something so foolish."

"I do foolish things all the time."

"True, and you always do it with good intentions. Still, you-"

"Not to be rude, but I already got this lecture from basically everyone else on the island. I learned my lesson, trust me."

She shrugged. "Fair enough. I was just trying to say... Well, I'm not sure how much you value the opinions of others, and this may sound off-topic, but I have to admit... I was always sort of afraid of you."

I nearly spat out my coffee. "I-I'm sorry, did I just hear you right...? _You're _afraid of _me_?"

"Look at things from my point of view. I wake up in Hope's Peak Academy, with most of my identity erased from my mind. One of the people I meet soon afterwards is a man who stands larger than most of the others, and he's such a smooth liar that even I have trouble determining if anything he's saying is true or not. Then, throughout the killing game, this man displays a level of intellect that, while not fitting of his "talent," is still enough to put him above the averages. On top of that, he shows an aptitude for gaining the trust of others." She paused. "Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"Uh... Kinda?"

"I'm saying, if you wanted to play the killing game, there was a real possibility that you could have won. Your stature would make anyone who didn't have an athletic- or combat-based talent an easy target for you. Even then, you could have gained someone's trust and taken them out when their guard was lowered. Your intelligence is geared toward solving mysteries, which would help you notice any evidence you would leave behind and allow you to clean the crime scene thoroughly. And your lying skills would make it easy for you to get through the trial. Combine all that with your knowledge of the game's events, and you could say the only reason we're still alive is because of your kindness."

I thought about that. "That never even crossed my mind. I totally could've done it, huh?"

She nodded. Then added, "Well, there are a lot of other factors that go into a murder. There's no such thing as the perfect crime."

"Yeah. With my luck, the victim would probably leave behind some decisive clue that I couldn't clean." I thought a little longer, before I asked, "You said you can't tell when I'm lying?"

"Not quite. You do have some tells when you outright lie. It's more like... In everyday conversation, you're just hard to read. You're more stoic than you seem to realize."

"Pot calling kettle black. I guess you're right, though. I'm not super expressive, most of the time. But, why'd you decide to bring that up?"

"Because for someone like me, not being able to read someone can be very worrying. So, when I ask you this next question, I want you to understand that I really do want an honest answer."

"And... what question is that?"

"Are you okay?"

I stared down into my coffee. It was the question she asked at the start of the conversation, just reiterated. Such a simple question, with no simple answer. But I had promised that I would let others help me, and Kyoko was expecting me to be honest. So I answered honestly.

"No. Not really." I set down my coffee cup as I decided to elaborate. "Miaya... she says I have an inferiority complex. On it's own, inferiority is just a human emotion. But for me... it's become compulsive. I see failure in everything I do, always prepare for the worst outcome. Most people with an inferiority complex become depressed, and stop trying because they don't see any point. For me, it's like the opposite. I don't see any point in... being able to live, if I can't even accomplish anything without sacrificing so much in return. If I can't even save one girl..." My voice cracked.

"...But you see it now. And you understand that it's not a healthy way to think."

"I know. I... know that. I'm trying to fix it."

"Why don't you tell Chihiro about it?"

"...Huh?"

"He suffered from feeling inferior for years. He's probably the one who would understand your feelings the most. Plus, he's your best friend, and he's also offered to help you, from what I hear."

Word spreads fast on this island, huh? I stared down at my coffee again. "...I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I just can't. This... it's not something I can talk about with him."

I paused, waiting for her to ask, "Why not?" again. She stayed quiet instead. I answered anyway. "Chihiro... I said it once before, but he's the one I look up to the most. Even when Monokuma had his deepest secret, he didn't break. He decided that he wanted to improve himself, instead. And that's... scary. Not a lot of people have the courage to look at themselves and ask, "Is this what I want to be? Or am I gonna try to be something better?" And it's not just that. Chihiro looked up to Mondo, he was one of his inspirations for improving himself, and then Mondo... died. I've tried to establish myself as someone else who could inspire Chihiro, but I'm not a fool. I know that we're equals, and I know that's how he sees it, too. I'm already... barely good enough."

"You're comparing yourself to Mondo, and you think if you come to him with this, it could ruin his image of you?"

"...Like I said, I'm not a fool. I know he can see me struggling. All of you can. But it's more complicated than that. If I tell him this, I have to tell him everything, and there's never a good time for that. We can't afford to let him get distracted right not. Maybe once The Tragedy's settled down a bit..."

"Why push it off until later? How do you know there's going to be a "later?" How bad could it be, that you would risk never letting it go?"

"...Because I resent him. I'm... jealous of Chihiro." We both sat in silence for a minute before I elaborated. "All those things I said about him, about his courage, his drive? I can't do that. When it comes to something insignificant, I'm too lazy to care, and when it comes to something important, I feel like I have to press myself against the grindstone, and even then I'm prone to failure. I'd love to bring it up to him, but how would I even start? Imagine your best friend telling you he irrationally hates you because of his own weakness! That wouldn't help me, it'd just spread the problem to someone else. I'm just... stuck."

After a moment, she said, "I agree. It doesn't seem like there's an easy answer. I'm sorry I can't be of more use, but as you know, I'm not really good with this kind of thing. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried."

"No, I think... I needed to hear that. From my own lips. It puts some things into perspective..."

"In that case, if you still want my input, I do have something to say. I think... you could stand to be a little more selfish."

"And not in a "oh, Al's biggest flaw is that he's so selfless" kinda way, right?"

"Exactly. What you view as selflessness _is _making more work for the rest of us."

"I got it. I received this lecture, too, believe it or not."

She rolled her eyes. "Does everything I say really sound like a lecture to you?"

"Kinda. You have a sort of "strict teacher" air about you. With a pair of glasses, you could complete the look." I pushed up my own for emphasize.

"Thanks, but I'll pass."

"Now, as much as I like talking about myself, don't pretend I'm the only one here who shuts people out. What about you? Are you okay?"

"Well, I have the usual traumas everyone else in our class has. Sometimes I wonder what I could have done differently, to save more people. But other than that, I'm fine."

"I can certainly sympathize with that last one." My coffee wasn't as hot anymore, and there was only a bit left, so I chugged it and set down my mug. "In any case, I gotta admit I didn't come down here to discuss pleasantries with you. I'm here to make an official request."

"Regarding?"

"What else? The investigation into Maki Yugami's true identity. I'm not sure if you heard yet, but she said so herself this morning: Her real name is Alice Kizuki."

"...Alice Kizuki? I do recall she also confirmed she was only half-Japanese, right?"

"Yeah, back before Peko's case."

"But how do we know it's her real name? It could just be another pseudonym she's hiding behind."

"I considered that, but think about it. Celeste herself claimed that she showed tells whenever she called herself Maki Yugami, and that name's so unusual that it's obviously fake. Why have an obvious fake name, and one that's more realistic? Plus, given the context, I just don't think she was lying when she said it."

"...Alright. I'll trust you on this. So, her real name is Alice Kizuki. Does this mean anything to you?"

"That all depends on what happens next. Evidence is everything, right? I need more data before I can come to a conclusion.

"What's your request?"

I leaned forward. "I want you to contact your grandfather. Ask him to send us any and all of the Future Foundation's files regarding Toshihide Tomonaga and his research."

* * *

**We're moving onto chapter 4 territory now! Maki's going to be depressed, Mechamaru's probably going to be depressed because his athlete's dead, and Hiyoko's still alive! Truly, this is the darkest timeline. The good news is, not a lot happens during chapter 4 besides free time, so I'll probably try to focus more on Maki's interactions with the survivors, and just some general character development. Also, it seems Albert has a lead, an idea on who this Alice Kizuki might really be. Hopefully, he can find out quickly and end this nightmare before it claims anymore lives. Not likely, though.**

**Survivors-10: Maki Yugami, Hajime Hinata, Byakuya Togami, Chiaki Nanami, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Gundham Tanaka, Hiyoko Saionji, Nagito Komaeda, Nekomaru Nidai, Sonia Nevermind**

**Victims-7: Teruteru Hanamura, Kazuichi Soda, Mahiru Koizumi, Peko Pekoyama, Akane Owari, Ibuki Mioda, Mikan Tsumiki**

**In the next chapter, the killing game shall continue, and we'll explore the next island.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Sorry for the delay, but I think you guys are getting used to the biweekly upload schedule. In any case, on top of being busy with work, I'm also sick. Not the "physically ill" type sick, though. Rather, I feel sick looking at the state that my southern neighbour, the U.S. is in.**

**I try to avoid talking about current events, if only because I believe that most people who come to this site do it for, y'know, the "fiction," and bringing up reality is kinda counter-intuitive to that end. Still, I have a platform here, however small, and according to my traffic graphs most of my audience _does_ come from the U.S., so if there's even a chance of this reaching someone who needs it, I'll consider it worthwhile. As a Canadian, there's not much I can do, but I at least want to say this:**

**Black Lives Matter.**

**Seriously, it's 2020, not 1920. This shit isn't up for debate anymore, nor should it ever have been in the first place. Everyone, every single human being, deserves basic human rights, and it's the job of the police to protect those rights. Not only have I yet to see that, but I've instead seen them flagrantly ignore and destroy those rights. And I'm sure there _are_ good cops in the force, and I like to think they're trying, but they aren't loud enough. So, to all the protesters out there, while I might not be able to join you, I'm rooting for you. It's not much at all, but... it's all I got.**

**In news that's probably related in that they planned to distract people with it, the U.S. also passed a law that allows doctors to discriminate against trans people, and refuse them treatment. As someone who's been questioning their own gender for a little while now, this hits a more personal spot. As I've said before, I firmly believe that every human being deserves basic rights, and I firmly believe that healthcare is one of those rights. Plus, with the protests going on, and the shitty little "essay" written by J.K. Rowling a couple weeks ago, the passing of this law was the equivalent of kicking someone while they're down. Cruel and unnecessary.**

**So, in case any of you reading this need to hear it: If any recent events, or any events in general, make you feel like your life is more expendable than any other, it's wrong. You matter so much more than you might think. Those statistics on the traffic graph I mentioned earlier? Each and every number on that graph means so much to me, and pushes me to make more content, and that was all caused by you clicking. I'm still writing, all because you clicked. Imagine what you could do for someone if you put in some effort. And so, in case it wasn't obvious, I love you, so much. And I hope you love yourself, too.**

**So yeah. Black Lives Matter, trans rights are human rights, and if anyone reading this disagrees with those sentiments, you can unfollow me. I don't really care.**

**_In any case,_ sorry for the wall of text. Now, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Transformations**

"The name's NEKOMARU NIDAI! I've been reborn in the rivers of helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!"

"Nekomaru...? Is that really you...?"

"Gahaha! No matter how you look at it, I'm still me!"

"No matter how we look at it... this isn't you at all...!" Hajime gasped.

"Jeez, you guys are a strange lot. You all have such big, wide eyes... Oh, perhaps you've all fallen in love with this metallic body of mine!? Gahahahaaaa! I already know what you want to say just by looking in your eyes! Then again, I am a former team manager!"

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Sonia shrieked, nearly fainting.

"Ngh... what happened?" Nekomaru asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something!"

"Th-That's your... body?" Byakuya asked. "It's not just a costume or something?"

"It's not a costume, it's PURE ELECTRICITY! I've been reborn as PURE ELECTRICITY! GAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You... You're still Nekomaru, right? Your mind hasn't been altered or anything?" Maki asked cautiously.

"That's right! I've resurrected from the depths of hell in shining silverrrrrrrr!"

"How... are you even okay with that...?" Fuyuhiko asked. "It doesn't even compare... to my eyepatch... How... can you accept that body...?"

"It's better to just be alive!"

"...Huh?"

"It's better to just be alive... Hey, don't you agree? If I'm alive, I can still talk to you all. If I'm alive, I can still fight... It doesn't matter what happens to my body! Not one bit!"

"Y-You're amazing...!" Nagito praised. "Nekomaru is brimming with hope...!"

"Anyway, I'm glad... that's fine, right?" Chiaki said. "Right? Nekomaru definitely came back to us..."

"My, my! Am I interrupting your touching reunion?" Monokuma asked, suddenly appearing.

"Ha-wa-wa-wa!?" Monomi gasped, appearing beside him. "Kyaaaaa! Why is Nekomaru a robot!?"

"Unfortunately, it was truly difficult to save Nekomaru from the jaws of death... But they don't call me the Psychopop Magician for nothing! Oh my goodness! Such a wonderful Before-and-After has occurred!"

"It appears to be a little too dramatic!" Nekomaru laughed. "Thanks to that, I'm getting stabbed by all these envious stares!"

"Hey, if you're a machine now, then what's going on with your mind?" Byakuya asked. "Is it just a program now? Do you still have things like self-awareness or-?"

"Fool! How many times do I have to tell you that it doesn't matter! No matter what shape or form I take, I AM NEKOMARU NIDAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"...It sounds like him, alright. It seems he really is self-aware. But still... what level of technology does our opponent have, if they can do something like this?"

"What the commoner considers advanced is not much of an advancement." Monokuma teased. "If you think advancements exist in colleges and laboratories, that's a huge misunderstanding! The real advancements exist... in the place where you can pass on that talent."

"Question." Maki said, glaring at Monokuma. "Being a machine, Nekomaru can't quite "die" in the sense that organic beings think of it. But his functionality can still be ceased, correct?"

"That's right! Even though he's a robot now, if Nekomaru is killed, it's still going to count as murder, okay? Of course... it's possible Nekomaru might kill someone instead."

"Don't say such foolish things!" He roared. "That will never happen!"

"Well, with all that in mind, you guys enjoy the killing school trip together!"

"Once again, I hope we can all get along!" Nekomaru said.

Everyone was silent for a good while. Finally, Fuyuhiko sighed. "It's impossible... It's gonna be a while before I can mentally process this..."

"Um... will Nekomaru never return to his original form...?" Sonia asked. "If that is the case... it is a burden for Nekomaru!"

"Hey, hey... it's not like I came back as a monster. I'm just a robot now, you know?"

"I'm sorry... I can't really see the difference." Chiaki said.

"Well, just consider this a little promotion." Monokuma explained. "By making a robot one of the main characters, a genuine mystery is transformed into a sci-fi mystery... And the hard-boiled is transformed into cyberpunk!"

"You're totally destroying the genres!" Monomi shouted.

"Oh well, who cares!? As long as it's fun, it's totally fine! Ahhhhhh- hahahahaha!" With that, Monokuma disappeared.

"Hmph. Unbelievable." Maki muttered.

"Jeez, you guys..." Nekomaru shook his head. "I know it looks like a pretty big deal, but nothing's changed! I'm still me!"

"That's not what I meant." She said. "What's unbelievable isn't this new body, it's the fact that you're still so positive. "Nothing's changed"? What about the fact that three of our friends just died today? And now you're standing there, having lost your flesh and bone. Can you even feel with that body?" She sighed. "Maybe you're right. Nothing _has _changed. We're still trapped in the same killing game, and we're the same dysfunctional group we were on day one."

"H-Hey, Maki..." Hajime started.

"No, I can understand why she feels that way." Nekomaru said. He appeared solemn. "Maki... The fact that so many of our friends have died, that's the reason we have to keep moving forward. I mean, I'd look like a real jackass if I complained about this body, y'know? I'm the lucky one. So that's why... I'm gonna keep living, for the sake of those who couldn't! What would I accomplish my standing around and moping?"

"So, you'll put on a brave face instead? Fine. I guess that's better than the alternative..." She turned away from the group and started walking off. "I'm going to bed. Don't wait for me at breakfast tomorrow."

The others stood in silence, looking between Maki in the distance and Nekomaru's new body.

Hajime sighed. This would take some getting used to.

* * *

The mood in the dining hall the next morning was, as usual for the day after a trial, sombre. Everyone seemed to be avoiding talking about the events of yesterday, or the elephant in the room that was Nekomaru. On top of that, as she implied the night before, Maki failed to show up. It was obvious that she just didn't want to deal with anyone else at the moment.

Eventually, Chiaki broke the silence. "What are you gonna do, Mechamaru?"

"Mechamaru? You're used to him already!?" Hajime asked.

"What am I going to do...?" Nekomaru repeated.

"For food... Do you need, like... oil? Regular? Premium?"

"I can totally eat normal food! Especially rice dishes, I can't keep my eyes off them! However... I've been feeling a little down lately... so I don't have much of an appetite..."

"Ahahahaha!" Nagito chuckled from the corner of the room.

"What... so you're here, too?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Ah, I'm sorry... I should know my place and not speak out of turn when everyone's gathered together like this... However, I just wanted to make sure I spoke to you about what happened yesterday."

"What happened yesterday...?" Hajime asked.

"That person Mikan called her "beloved." I can't help thinking about that and it won't get out of my head... Hm? Am I just a coward for worrying about that?"

Gundham nodded. "It crossed my mind as well but... based on how she phrased it... It was... as if she was speaking to an entity that does not exist in this world... More importantly, we should be thinking about... the Future Foundation, our enemy. If that fearsome organization known also as World Ender is truly responsible for our imprisonment... Then investigating who's behind that organization is our top priority!"

"However... the more I think about it, the less sense it makes." Sonia said. "Why would an organization that's secretly plotting to end the world... make us suffer like that?"

"They went to a lot of trouble to abduct us and bring us to... this island." Fuyuhiko said.

"Not only that, they took away several years worth of memories of our lives at Hope's Peak Academy..." Nagito added. "...For reasons that are also unknown."

"Future Foundation! World Ender! Hah!" Nekomaru shook his head. "There's obviously something wrong with you if you believe in something so unrealistic!"

"...And you're one to talk?" Byakuya asked.

Nagito thought a moment before adding, "But... what we should be most concerned about, as it relates to the Future Foundation... is the traitor from the Future Foundation that's hiding among us. I wonder who it is... The true identity of the outsider hiding among us and trying to ensnare us..."

"I wouldn't bring that up if I were you." Hiyoko said. "After all, you're the most suspicious person here!"

"Even a childish organization blathering about ending the world wouldn't accept someone like me. Nobody wants a worthless human like me to join their group... You guys should know that feeling well, right?"

"And that's the reason why you're not the traitor...?" Chiaki asked. "I don't understand your theory at all."

"Then... who do you think is the most suspicious?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I nominate Hajime!"

Hajime stared at him for a few moments. "...Huh?"

"Well... isn't it normal to doubt the most unlikely candidate? Not just that... you're the only one here who still doesn't know what Ultimate talent you possess... If we're basing this on an outsider hiding among a group of Ultimates, Hajime should be doubted right away."

"I-I'm not the traitor! What are you even saying!?"

"You shouldn't raise your voice like that. We might become even more suspicious of you, you know?"

"Th-This is obviously your fault!"

"Stop fighting!" Sonia commanded.

"Don't you think fighting with ourselves like this is Monokuma's trap!?" Nekomaru asked.

"Th-That might be true... but..." Hajime stuttered.

"All right, I'll handle this! Just leave this matter to meeeeeeeeeee! To eliminate this tense atmosphere, allow me to present to you my new function that I discovered last night. Now then, let's go...!" He adjusted the "ears" on the sides of his head, and liquids began pouring from his eyes, like waterfalls. "BEHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!"

"N-Nekomaru is crying!" Sonia gasped.

"Hardly! I'm not crying! My right eye dispenses cola... and my left eye dispenses Rooibos tea... BEHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!"

"Huh!? What are you, a soda fountain!?" Hiyoko asked

"I know we'll be here all day if we keep commenting on every little thing you do..." Fuyuhiko said. "But what the hell was Monokuma thinking giving you a function like that!?"

"That guy... he's definitely fooling around!" Monomi snapped as she appeared. "Monokuma's just toying with other people's bodies! I, too, was modified by Monokuma, so I totally understand how Nekomaru feels... But don't be depressed! You'll get used to it! It's surprising how quickly you'll get used to it!"

"You showing up at this time means..." Fuyuhiko started. "Did you come to tell us that you've defeated another Monobeast?"

"Taaadaaaaa! You're cooooorrect! Once again, you can visit a new island, so please take this opportunity to get along with everyone..."

"What a load of crap..."

Everyone turned as Maki reached the top of the staircase. She looked different from yesterday. Her face was pale, almost sickly, her eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was unkempt. "Even if we explore the new island, it's not like we'll find anything to help us escape this place, right? The mastermind is too thorough to let that happen."

"Rather... I feel as though the opportunity to kill increases every time we go to a new island..." Sonia said. "So... it might be best if we do not go..."

"Ehhhhhhh!?"

Gundham approached Monomi. "I don't know what your planning, fiend, but we're not going to fall for it...!"

"Th-That... that's a misunderstanding... I was just..."

"Argh, jeez! How annoying!" Monokuma snapped as he appeared. "Just stay back and leave the rest to your big brother! I'll give you an example of how to lure these guys to you, little sis!"

"Wh-What are you doing!? You're... acting like we're allies or something..."

"Didn't I tell you to stay baaaaack!?" Monokuma dashed at Monomi, and struck her in nine different vital areas.

She was blasted across the room. "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! This technique... It's impossible to defend against it or evade it!"

"There, now that I've mopped up the annoying one... Okay! Since you guys are feeling down in the dumps, I'll make you guys so excited your noses will bleed! Compared to the earlier investigations, I've prepared a special treat that's completely different than before!"

"...Treat?" Chiaki asked.

"Oh, you took the bait? I guess it's true... if you wanna get a shut-in out of their room, carrots work the best!"

"Who the fuck cares about that!?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Hurry up and tell us what the treat is!"

"It's an amazing treat. Don't wet your pants. Well, it's okay if you do... just don't spray it on me. I've prepared a bunch of stuff you guys might find interesting on the new island! Such as... clues about the Future Foundation... Such as... parts that may be useful for making a ship... And also... your student profiles from your time at Hope's Peak Academy!"

"...Huh?"

"Soooo do your best to explore! Take caaaaare!" With that, he disappeared.

The others stood quietly for a few moments.

After a moment, Byakuya asked. "Maki. Where were you?"

"I wasn't hungry, so I decided to spend my morning investigating."

"Investigating? The new island?" Gundham asked.

"No, I haven't been there yet. I was looking around places we've already been, giving them another look over. When I passed by the fourth bridge and saw it was open, I headed over here to tell you all. Seems Monomi just barely beat me to it."

"Considering her ability to be wherever she needs to be, I think that's quite impressive." Sonia said. Maki didn't react.

"...Hey, are you okay?" Chiaki asked.

She rubbed her cat-ear hairband. "...I'm fine. I just didn't get much sleep last night..."

"I think she was talking about that..." Hajime pointed out.

"...Ah. This." Maki looked down at her left arm, which was wrapped in a bandage.

"Did you hurt yourself or something?"

"No, nothing like that. I just... decided to put this on earlier. It... It reminds me of Mikan, I guess. The Mikan I knew."

Hiyoko groaned. "Are you seriously still not over that?"

Several of the others shot her looks. "Hiyoko..."

"Don't act like you didn't hear it. She said it herself, she never cared about you. She was just a crazy murderer, and she was using you!"

"It's not that easy..." Maki said. "When you insert yourself into someone's life, it doesn't matter if you betray them, or you die. They'll remember you, they'll be affected by what you did. That's the legacy you leave behind. I mean, are you over Mahiru yet?"

"_Mahiru _wasn't a murderer, and she never would've betrayed me."

"Well, no, of course not. Because her environment didn't shape her that way. But Mikan-"

"Oh, please! I'm sick of people using that excuse! So what if nobody liked her? She didn't have it any harder than I did, and I've never killed anything smarter than a bug! Mikan was just a coward. A weak, dirty coward who went crazy and tried to get us all killed!"

The room was tense, and everyone glanced at Maki, expecting her to snap next. After a long moment, she shrugged. "...You're right."

"...Huh?"

"Mikan was weak. She didn't have what it took to carry on, to handle the pressure. It's sad, but... we're better of without her. In a situation like this... In this world, the strong are the only ones who survive. Showing weakness, and showing affection to the weak, will only shorten your lifespan. I already know that."

"Maki... what the hell happened to you?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"...That's not important right now. How about, instead of asking me about the past, we actually focus on what's going on right now? Or is that too much to ask for with you people?"

Everyone stared at her. After a moment, Gundham spoke up. "While her tone is troublesome, she speaks the truth. We have yet another island to explore, and Monokuma has offered us a bounty for doing so."

"...What should we do?" Chiaki asked.

"Ship parts..." Byakuya muttered. "Even if it's just parts, that would certainly improve our chances of getting out of here. We can't pass that up."

"I plan to go, too." Nagito added. "If there are clues about the Future Foundation, we need to make sure we see them... What about you, Hajime? Of course you're going, right? If you look at your student profile, you might be able to find out what your shining talent is... It's a chance for you to clear any suspicions, right?"

"What suspicions...! I don't think anyone here doubts me...!"

"...Ah, I see."

"It seems you've all prepared yourselves for the worst!" Nekomaru said.

"If everyone is going, I shall accompany you as well." Sonia decided.

"But there's also a possibility that Monokuma set a trap." Chiaki warned. "We should be careful where we step."

* * *

The fourth island was perhaps the most bizarre yet. It was styled like an amusement park, similar to Disneyland. No matter where the students turned, pretty, colourful attractions caught their eyes. It was difficult to determine what was a trap and what wasn't, as Monokuma plastered his face all across the park. The only spot that remained untouched was Nezumi Castle, but the students couldn't find a way inside.

Eventually, Monokuma called everyone to the roller coaster, which he had shooed them away from earlier so he could work on it. As Hajime arrived, Fuyuhiko did a headcount. "...Everyone here?"

"Hey, wanna know something cool?" Chiaki asked. "According to Monokuma... We'll all get a treat if we ride that roller coaster together."

"Rawr! Welcome!" Monokuma announced to the newcomers. "Welcome to the main attraction of this amusement park, the Great Ultra-Delicious Coaster!"

"...Is that name indicative?" Maki asked. "We're not going to go so fast we melt into butter or something, right?"

"Are we really gonna get a prize for riding this thing?" Hiyoko asked.

"Suuuure thing!"

"What's... the prize?" Hajime asked.

"Aw no! That's the surprise for after you ride this!"

"Does shortstuff here even reach the height requirements?" Maki asked, pointing at Hiyoko, who shot her a glare.

"Don't worry, I made extra sure that this ride is secure! After all, it'd be no fun if you all died in a freak roller coaster accident!"

"Might I ask... where will this ride take us?" Sonia asked.

"It won't take us anywhere." Chiaki explained. "It's just gonna circle around and come back here."

"What... is the meaning behind that?"

"...You fiend, have you never gone to an amusement park?" Gundham asked.

"I am embarrassed to say that we do not have these in my country."

"I see... I've only gone to an amusement park once during my childhood... But it was an amusement park in hell filled with man-eating demons!"

"Huh!? There are amusement parks in hell!? I have never heard of such a thing! By all means, please allow me to accompany you next time!"

He chuckled. "The entrance fee is the blood of a virgin! I shall offer up your blood as tribute!"

"Oh... that is a shame... It seems my blood cannot be used as the entrance fee."

Maki cleared her throat awkwardly. "How about, instead of standing around, we actually try riding it?"

One by one, everyone boarded the roller coaster. Hajime and Sonia were in the front row, with Chiaki and Hiyoko behind them. The third row had Fuyuhiko and Gundham, and Nagito and Byakuya were behind them. Finally, Maki and Nekomaru sat in the last two rows, respectively. Slowly, the roller coaster left the platform, before quickly picking up speed. Several of the students couldn't help but cheer.

Nekomaru called out, "Tch...! What overwhelming g-force! It feels like all the screws in my body are going to fly offffff!"

"Be still... my heart!" Gundham muttered.

"B-But... this is so much fun!" Sonia cheered.

Maki couldn't deny that it was exhilarating, even if it was just her body's natural reactions to the extreme force making her feel that way. Just as quickly as it had begun, however, the roller coaster reached the platform and slammed to a halt.

"All right, we've arrived!" Monokuma announced. "How was it? Wasn't that fun?"

Everyone slowly climbed off the ride on wobbly legs.

"Alright, that's over. We had our fun. Now where's the treat?" Maki asked.

"Oh yeah, right! Here you go! The treat is a file!"

"...Huh!?" Hajime stared at the symbol on it. Mirai. "...A file from the Future Foundation!? Will we be able to find out who they are if we look at this!?"

"...Is it alright if I check inside?" Nagito asked as he took it.

"Sure thing, do whatever you like!" Monokuma said.

Everyone crowded around Nagito as he turned open the first page. Everyone gasped as they read the first sentence in the file.

_Hope's Peak Academy ironically became the site for the killing school life. The mastermind behind the plan... locked the students inside the academy and forced them to kill each other. The students who were pushed to their limit eventually reached a state of heightened paranoia... And... that's how the killing began. The killings committed by those students lasted several days... But at a certain point, the curtain finally fell. A group of students united and staged a counterattack against the mastermind, who paid with their life. With this, the seven students who survived were able to escape the academy..._

"Hey, aren't these photos on the left... Photos of the seven people who survived?" Nagito asked. "Then... what does this mean? Why is... he in this photo?"

Everyone turned their attention to the photo he was pointing to. While the subject looked very different, it was unmistakable who it was.

"Huh!?" Hajime stared at a picture of the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Byakuya Togami, only much thinner.

"Th-This definitely... looks like Byakuya..." Gundham said.

"Why is Byakuya's photo in here!?" Nekomaru asked.

Nagito looked up at the other boy. "Th-This... what does this mean?"

Byakuya's eyes shot between the photo, and the faces of all his classmates. "Um... W-Well, I... That is-"

"Is that guy your brother or something?" Maki asked.

"...Huh?"

"I'm not too knowledgeable on it, but I've heard the Togami family uses a special heredity system. Specifically, the head of the family has countless children with high-class women from around the world. They make all these potential heirs compete, disowning the losers until only one victor remains."

"Ah... R-Right, that's correct, for the most part. That man... Considering our resemblance, he must be one of my many disowned half-siblings. What a coincidence..."

The others seemed to consider this a little too convenient an excuse, but they didn't push the issue. Nagito eyed the book. "Still, it's weird... It looks like the killings we're involved in resemble this set of killings that happened before... And... that took place inside Hope's Peak Academy."

Fuyuhiko shook his head. "Hold on... did these fucked up killings actually happen inside _the _Hope's Peak Academy? That's not possible! There's no way the teachers or the police would let that happen!"

"However... what if the Future Foundation- World Ender- was the one who initiated this?" Gundham suggested.

"You mean that organization was the one who took over Hope's Peak Academy then!?" Nekomaru asked.

"They certainly seem to have the resources necessary." Byakuya agreed. "I suppose the question is... Just how powerful is Hope's Peak Academy in comparison?"

"Hmm... it seems we have no choice but to ask Monokuma..." Nagito said. "How does the killing school life that occurred at Hope's Peak Academy relate to this island?"

"The only thing I can say is... All the answers are in your school memories that were taken away!"

"Then give them back!" Hiyoko demanded.

"No no, the Future Foundation took your memories, and I can't do anything about it in my current state."

"Regardless, it's unforgivable...!" Nagito growled. "I will never forgive those who try to trample hope... They should all be destroyed...!"

"Pot calling kettle black." Maki said simply, before turning back to the bear. "Okay, so what about ship parts? Where are they?"

"Oh, who knows? They should be somewhere on this island."

"I have searched this island once through... but I did not find ship parts anywhere." Sonia said.

"No... the Funhouse should still be left." Hajime recalled.

"Based on what I've heard... it seems we cannot access it unless we're all gathered together, correct?" Gundham asked.

"Ding ding! Cooooooooorrect! That's right, the treats you can't find yet are alllllll hidden inside the Funhouse!"

"Then the ship parts should be there as well?" Byakuya asked.

"As well as our student profiles from our time at Hope's Peak..." Maki muttered.

As she said it, Hajime stared at her. After a moment, he decided, "Everyone... let's go... Let's try going to the Funhouse...!"

"I see... is that really all right?" Sonia asked. "The Funhouse is that creepy-looking building, right?"

"But... we have no other choice. I mean, we might be able to obtain the ship parts if we go there!"

"...And learn the secret of Hajime's talent too." Nagito added. "Fine... I think we should listen to Hajime and head over to the Funhouse as well."

"Puhuhu, looks like you guys have decided. I have things to prepare so I'll be going first! I'll see you later!" With that, Monokuma disappeared.

Chiaki stared at the ground. "I'm not really on board with this idea but... If everyone says they're gonna go, I guess I have no choice. I guess I have to go with everyone."

"Plunging yourself into a trap is an act of sheer madness..." Gundham said. "Fuhahaha! That's what makes it truly interesting!"

"Then it's decided...!" Hajime said, a little too excited.

With that, everyone followed Hajime to the Funhouse.

* * *

"I just need to... get on this train, right...?" Hajime asked.

He stood before a long trolley with Monokuma's face at the front.

"Well, there's really no need to be cautious." Monokuma explained. "It's not like it's gonna speed up, drop, fly, or anything else."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Maki asked, marching forward.

One by one, everyone boarded the train. Fuyuhiko and Hiyoko sat in the front row, Sonia and Byakuya sat in the second, Hajime and Chiaki in third, Nekomaru and Gundham in forth, and Maki and Nagito shared the fifth row. At the very back sat Monokuma. The train slowly took off, entering the tunnel that would lead them to the Funhouse. Despite the number of lights, it still had an oppressive atmosphere.

Monokuma grabbed a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen! This train is heading toward the Funhouse! Allow me to guide you all to the world of surprises on this train that runs toward glory. Please be careful of where you step. Also, it's dangerous to stand up all of a sudden!... Well, it's not like you have time to do that."

Maki cocked her head back toward him. "What?"

Suddenly, the walls of the tunnel opened up and sprayed white, noxious smoke all over the students.

"Wh-What the helllllllllllllllllllll!?" Nekomaru roared.

"...I-Is this gas!?" Hajime gasped.

"D-Damn it..." Fuyuhiko choked. "This was definitely a trap..."

Maki watched as everyone slumped in their seat. Monokuma leaped over Nagito's unconscious body and hit a button on the back of Nekomaru's neck, causing the robot to cease movement as well.

She didn't hold on much longer. Her body felt heavy, and her mind felt like it was melting. With the last ounce of strength she could muster, she growled. "God... dammit... Monokuma..."

With that, she fell forward. She was unconscious before she made any impact.

* * *

**I know I said Nekomaru would probably be depressed, but I actually can't imagine the guy being down in the dumps for too long. So instead, I tried to convey his true feelings in some of his dialogue. Hopefully it works.**

**Maki's definitely broken, though. I don't think headpats are going to fix this one. Hopefully, she'll be able to hold out for the next few chapters.**

**Also, yay, the Funhouse! For some reason, a lot of people don't like the Funhouse, but I thought it was a pretty enjoyable mystery. I'm just challenged by 3D spacial awareness puzzles, I guess. I wouldn't mind future Danganronpa games making use of the environment to commit murder. Though I have to admit, any other location in the amusement park could've been used just as well.**

**In the next chapter, we'll explore the Funhouse, and begin starvation. Wait, what-**


	27. Chapter 26

**"Time is an illusion, and so is pants." -That swamp guy from A:TLA, probably.**

**After having to write these characters interacting with the Funhouse for over 6k words, I'm starting to kinda get why people don't like this part of the game very much. I still stand by my opinion I stated at the end of last chapter, but who knows? Maybe by the end of the next trial, I'll have gone through some character development myself and realize I actually hate the Funhouse completely. Only one way to find out!**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**A Tale of Two Houses**

Hajime slowly sat up, his head killing him. He eyes his surroundings. He was in some sort of vibrant red playground, with a flower garden nearby. Spread out around the area were his fellow classmates, also coming to consciousness.

Nekomaru was the first to react after booting up. "Where... is thiiiiiis!?"

"Huh... where are we?" Sonia gasped at their surroundings.

"Wh-What the hell is this!?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Mmm... why was I sleeping at a place like this...?" Chiaki asked, barely awake. "...Oh well... I should go back to sleep for a little longer..."

"I assume... that this was that gas's doing..." Gundham said.

Fuyuhiko shook his head. "That gas we were forced to breathe right after the train started moving... It must've knocked us all out... And then... we were brought here, huh."

"In that case, this must be... the interior of the Funhouse." Nagito realized.

"Weeeeelcome!" Monokuma announced as he arrived. "Welcome to Strawberry House!"

"Strawberry House?" Hajime repeated. "Isn't this the Funhouse...?"

"Of course it's the Funhouse. Strawberry House is a part of the Funhouse."

""A part," you say...?" Nekomaru asked.

"Now then, allow me to explain already!" The bear produced a map out of nowhere, showing the three floors. "Tadaaaaaa! This is Strawberry House in its entirety! You are currently at the indoor park located on the 3rd floor. As you can see... there's a lot of playground equipment with strawberry designs. How fancy! Now then, next is the 2nd floor... There's a lounge that's perfect for freshening up, and I've prepared 5 guest rooms that are lined up like BOOM! The guestrooms are divided up by quality grade... The Deluxe Room is soundproof and has excellent air insulation... The Standard Room may have so-so insulation, but it's still pretty decent... And the Crummy Room has severe airflow and draft problems!... That concludes my explanation of the 2nd floor. Last but not least, the 1st floor of Strawberry House... On this floor, there's a room called the Final Dead Room that's all like BOOM! You can enter the Final Dead Room at any time, but be extra cautious when you pick the difficulty setting. On the same floor, there's a hallway called Strawberry Hall, and when you pass through it... There's a truly strange, enormous tower standing tall with a BOOM BOOM! It's called Strawberry Tower! Please use your own two feet to get a feel for what the inside of Strawberry Tower is like! This concludes the tour, but I think it was difficult to understand with my wordy explanation... So you should all use your own two feet to explore the inside of the building. That's all from me... Any questions?"

"Just one." Maki started. "What's the point of this building? What do you plan to have us do?"

"Ah, didn't I explain it to you? This is the motive this time... As escape game!"

"...E-Escape game?" Hajime repeated.

"The concept this time is... a closed circle within a closed circle... Like Hope's Peak Academy back then, this Funhouse is a completely closed space. There's only one way to get out of this closed space building... When the killing begins! I'll let you guys out when the next killing happens! Nyohoho! Let the escape game begin!" With that, he disappeared.

"...Huh?"

"W-We can't get out of here till the n-next killing happens?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I knew this was a trap but... I never expected it to be so straightforward." Nagito said.

Gundham scoffed. "How foolish of me... if only I'd erected a magic barrier, I wouldn't have had to breathe in that gas...!"

"...I let my guard down and ended up falling asleep!" Nekomaru groaned.

"Like, why would gas even work on a robot!?" Hiyoko snapped. "That's supposed to be when you make your move!"

"Gas shouldn't pose a problem but... If they activate my sleep mode, even I won't stand a chance..."

"...Sleep mode?" Byakuya asked.

"That's right, it's a cutting-edge function that puts my other functions to sleep, even if I have insomnia... Just press the Good Night Button on the back of my neck, and I'll be forced to enter sleep mode!"

"Wh-What's the point of that function!?" Hajime asked.

"Didn't I just tell you!? It puts my other functions to sleep even if I have insomnia!"

"Do you even need to sleep...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"In order to awaken from sleep mode, I just need to set the alarm in my chest!" He continued. "It's all possible with just one touch!"

"Dammit... he's not even listening..."

"He probably wants to live like humans as much as he can..." Gundham guessed. "Such is the sad nature of robotic organisms..."

"Anyway... Mechamaru must've lost consciousness because his button was pressed." Chiaki explained.

"What a blunder..." Nekomaru muttered. "He must've taken advantage of that white smoke and went around me... I'll never let that happen ever agaaaaaaaaaaaaain!"

"For now, why don't we look for the exit?"

"Exit... is there even an exit...?" Nagito wondered. "I mean, if there was, this wouldn't be a closed space, right? It'd make Monokuma's motive meaningless..."

"I agree." Maki said. "If Monokuma went to the effort of designing this place to lock us inside, it's doubtful he'd make a mistake like leaving an exit to be found."

"What are you giving up for... dumbass!" Fuyuhiko snapped. "If we were brought inside this place, then there's definitely an exit out somewhere!"

"A-Amazing..." Nagito gasped. "A heart that refuses to give up until the very end... That must be hope... Yes, I understand! Then let's explore the inside of this building with that map we got!"

"But exploring on your own is too dangerous." Chiaki said. "It might be better if we team up with someone."

"Then Maki... You come with me." Fuyuhiko said.

"Maki and Fuyuhiko? That's an odd duo." Byakuya remarked.

"There's just something I want to talk to her about."

Maki shrugged. "Whatever."

"Wow... when you two stand right next to each other, there's a noticeable height difference!" Nagito noted.

"D-Drop it, bastard!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"Let's just go." Maki said impatiently.

"All right... then we'll go on ahead first."

With those parting words, the two of them left the area. The remaining members of the group did a headcount.

"Looks like Sonia and Gundham already went ahead." Nekomaru noted. Sure enough, they were both gone.

"Now then, I think it's time for me to get going too, so..." Nagito's eyes jumped from one member of the group to another, until finally settling on someone. "Chiaki, would you like to go together?"

"...Me?"

"I haven't really had a chance to talk to you, so I thought this would be a great opportunity..."

Chiaki seemed to consider it. Ultimately, she decided, "...All right. I'll see you guys later."

With that, Chiaki and Nagito left to explore the area.

"In that case... I guess I'll go with Mr. Ham Hands." Hiyoko decided.

"Heh, it's been a while since I heard that nickname." Byakuya glanced between Hajime and Nekomaru, then back to Hiyoko. "I have no issues with that. Lead the way."

As they walked off, Nekomaru shrugged. "I guess we're the leftovers... Looks like we're not very well liked..." After a moment, he shook his head and laughed. "Gah-haha! It's not like complaining about it will change anything! We're just a traitor and a robot, after all!"

Hajime sighed. "...I'm not the traitor."

"Oh, that's right! My apologies. Well then, Hajime... Let's show everyone else the value in leftovers! Let's magnificently find the exit with our very own hands! If we do that, it will solve everything!"

With that, they departed as well.

* * *

Fuyuhiko and Maki were searching through the Standard Room. There wasn't much to be found, just a bed, some lights, and a desk.

Maki didn't turn to Fuyuhiko as she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, you know..." He seemed to struggle to find the words. "I'm sure you don't want to hear this, since I caused a similar incident... And I already know a guy like me has no right to say this to you but... But... when I look at you, I just have to say something...!"

Rather than respond with words, she simply sighed through her nose.

"You don't need to act so stubborn, you know? 'Cause... I know what you're going through."

"Do you?" She asked, slowly turning to face him. "I think that's quite a presumption to make."

"I know you lost someone who was important to you, and you probably blame yourself for what happened. But-"

"You think Mikan was the first!? No!" She suddenly snapped. "Imagine, if you will, losing connections to all your previous relationships, and being forced to start a new life somewhere else. Friends, family, enemies, acquaintances, your lover... Then, imagine trying again, trying to establish a new friend network. And just like the first time, you lose them. They flake out and leave you. But third time's the charm, right? So you try again... and just like clockwork... she betrays you..."

Fuyuhiko's gaze fell to the floor, unsure how to respond. He had quite a few different ideas of what he planned to say to her, but after hearing this new information, he found that all his words sounded empty.

"I'm a curse. A black cat. Everyone who crosses my path eventually suffers heartbreak, or death. If you were smart, you'd take my advice."

"...And what's that?"

"The way you acted before Peko's death? Go back to that. Maybe try not to be as much of a dick, but don't let yourself get attached, either. That's what I'm going to do. I'll cooperate as long as this group and I have similar interests, but if I have to choose between putting myself before the group or not... the answer's simple. You should do the same..."

"No."

"...What did you say?"

He stepped closer to her. "No. As in, I'm not doing that. When Peko died... she left me with just a little bit of life, just enough for me to keep going. I'm living on borrowed time. So I made a vow... with whatever time I have left, I'm gonna try and save as many people as I can! You think I'm gonna let you use your shitty past as an excuse to turn your back on this group, and fuck us over in the future? You got another thing coming."

The two of them had a stare down for several seconds. One could cut the tension with a knife.

"...So, you choose the hard way, huh?" Maki finally said. She shook her head and turned for the door.

"Look... It doesn't have to be like this. Maybe you're right, maybe I don't know what you're going through, or what you've gone through before. But one thing I do know is... No matter how hard you try, no one can force themselves to stop caring about others. Even if you don't want to admit it, eventually you're gonna do something that hurts someone else, someone you care about... and you'll realize just how much you took that person for granted when you had them..."

Maki was silent for a moment. Finally, she said, "I don't think we have anything more to discuss. I'll do things my way. You do things yours. At the very least, just make sure you do one thing, okay?"

"What...?"

She half-turned so that only her pink right eye was visible. With a glare, she said, "Try not to die too quickly."

With that, she made her exit.

* * *

One by one, each pair made their way to the elevator on the first floor. Once everyone was gathered, Monokuma appeared.

"Yoooo! How are you guys doing!? Were you able to get a general idea of Strawberry House's side?"

"Strawberry House's side...?" Nagito repeated. "That's a strange thing to say... It sound like there are other buildings..."

"Of course! That's why there's this thing called a contact elevator!"

"Contact elevator, you say...?" Gundham asked.

"Even though it's an elevator, it's a big mistake to think that it moves vertically. This is an elevator that travels along a rail, so even moving horizontally is easy as pie!"

"Then... does this elevator go to a different building?" Hajime asked.

"That's right! To Grape House!"

"...Grape House?" Chiaki repeated.

"The Funhouse is an enormous building that's made up of other buildings. Well, we can worry about the details when we get to Grape House! I'll be going ahead!" With that, he disappeared.

"I-I don't really get it but... He just wanted to tell us to go to Grape House this time, right?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"And that we must ride this elevator... right?" Sonia added.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Maki asked, stepping forward. She pressed the grape button next to the elevator, and it opened up. Everyone stepped onto the elevator, and the door shut.

Chiaki looked around, confused. "...Is this... already moving?"

"If so, that's another sign of our captor's power." Byakuya said.

"...How so?" Nekomaru asked.

"Only the most advanced elevators are capable of moving without any vibration. If the elevator started moving without us realizing it, it must be a marvel of technology. Like you."

"Gah-haha! You're gonna make me blush!"

"That wasn't... Whatever."

After a few moments, the door suddenly opened up, and the students' sights were filled with a sickeningly green hue.

"So... this is Grape House..." Hajime observed, stepping off the elevator. Everyone else followed. From what they could see it was hexagonal in shape. Aside from a bathroom, there was also statues resembling clumps of grapes, and a row of eight effigies off to the side.

"Okay! Welcome to Grape House!" Monokuma announced, appearing before them. "Now then, allow me to explain the Grape House!" Like before, he produced a map that showed the three hexagonal floors of Grape House. "Tadaaaa! This is Grape House in its entirety! Soooo... let's start explaining the first floor. Ahem! Aside from the fact that there's no Final Dead Room, it's basically no different than Strawberry House. Just like how there's a Strawberry Hall over there, there's a Grape Hall on this side... And when you go through Grape Hall... That means there's a Grape Tower. The 2nd floor of Grape House is the same as the 2nd floor of Strawberry House... I've prepared five guestrooms of different types, along with a relaxing lounge. But the main attraction of Grape House is obviously the 3rd floor... The Monokuma Archive! Everyone loves the Monokuma Archive! If you wanna know about my proud accomplishments and contributions, feel free to study the literature there! Now then, this concludes the tour, but I believe it'd be difficult to understand if I just explain with words... So you should all use your own two feet to check out the inside of the building. That's all from me... any questions?"

"I have one." Byakuya spoke up. "The fruit imagery has been somewhat distracting, and it's been a while since breakfast. To put it simply, I'm hungry. Where is the food in this place?"

"...Huh? Is that necessary?"

"Wh-What? Of course it is!"

"But this is supposed to be an escape game, so how can there be any tension if there's no time limit? Sooo... I've decided to use your stomachs as the time limiiiiiiiit!"

"What do you mean...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Well, simply put... It means kill someone before you starve to death! Puhuhu... if you're planning to kill someone, I highly recommend you make your kill as soon as possible! It'll be too late if you get so weak you have no energy to kill!" With that, he disappeared.

"H-Hey! Wait a second!" Hiyoko snapped.

"S-Starve...?" Fuyuhiko muttered. "Dammit! How much more of this do we have to take until he's satisfied!?"

"No food..." Byakuya shook his head. "This is the worst possible outcome... How can he do this to us?"

"At least try to stay calm!" Nekomaru said. "Now's not the time for you to paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic!"

"Well, being loud here isn't gonna help us, so for now, we should explore the inside of this building too." Nagito said. "After all... if you don't give up, you're sure to find hope... Isn't that right, Fuyuhiko?"

"Y-Yeah... that's right..."

"Then let's get started. The same pairing as before is fine, right?"

"Actually..." Fuyuhiko thought for a moment. "I think I'd rather go with Nekomaru this time. I've got something to say to him, too."

"Well then, I gladly accept your invitation!" Nekomaru said.

"I guess that means you're with me, Hajime." Maki added. "Any objections?"

"Well, no, that's fine..." Hajime agreed.

With heavy steps, everyone split up to explore Grape House.

"Where do we start?" Maki wondered out loud.

"Since we're on the 1st floor... It might be okay if we start with Grape Tower." Hajime suggested.

"Starting with the most obvious target. Let's go."

The two made their way down the corridor until they reached a door with a picture of a bunch of grapes on it. Maki pressed the "OPEN" button on the wall beside the door. A second passed.

"Nothing happened." Maki noted.

"Huh, that's weird... When we were at Strawberry Hall this should've opened..."

She started repeatedly pushing it, like how one would push a "call elevator" button when in a hurry. "Of all the things Monokuma has that would break down."

"W-Well... it obviously shouldn't..."

"Wait... did you hear something?" In the next instant, the door opened. The two stepped inside. "...So this is Grape Tower, huh? It seems like an exact match for Strawberry Tower, but sickeningly green instead of sickeningly red."

"Yeah, you're right... The building is the same circular shape, and the ceiling is just as high and hard to make out..."

"While I'm listing differences, there's also that door." She pointed to the door on the opposite end of the hall. It had the image of a strawberry on it.

"It's like the opposite... of Strawberry Tower. As I recall, there should've been a grape image on the far back door of Strawberry Tower."

"In that case, the structure of the Funhouse seems rather obvious, doesn't it?"

"...The structure?"

"If you want me to explain it to you, we better gather everyone here. I'm not explaining it multiple times."

"It doesn't look like we'll need to." Hajime said, looking at the door. Everyone else slowly filtered through.

"Huh. You all arrived at once?"

"Good timing..." Fuyuhiko said. "We didn't have to waste any time gathering people."

"That was quick!" Nekomaru said. "I thought our investigations would take more time!"

"There ain't many areas to search, and we didn't find any good clues..."

"I've also managed to confirm what Monokuma said." Byakuya added. "There's no food to be found anywhere..."

"I heard... that it's really painful to starve to death..." Hiyoko said. "If we're really trapped here, we should start thinking of things we can eat, right? Like, Gundham's hamsters..."

"What are you implying!?" Sonia asked.

"H-Hey, I'm just trying to think like a survivalist!"

"Hiyoko... you should be grateful to Sonia." Gundham remarked. "If you'd gotten your hands on my Four Dark Devas of Destruction, your body would be incinerated by hellfire!"

"But are the hamsters going to be okay without food?" Chiaki asked.

"Fortunately, the flowers blooming in Strawberry House's indoor park are cursed flowers from hell's garden... As long as those seeds are there... The Four Dark Devas of Destruction shall not lose a single hit point."

"I am relieved to hear that." Sonia said.

Maki sighed. "In any case, I guess it wouldn't hurt to hear everyone's reports, first."

"Is it fine if Gundham, Fuyuhiko, Byakuya, and I represent our teams and give the reports?" Nagito asked.

"Yeah, I don't mind..." Fuyuhiko said.

"That's fine with me." Byakuya agreed.

"Hmph, rejoice mongrels... I've discovered something that you fiends will be happy to hear about." Gundham said.

"Yes, our team's discovery is number one! We shall not lose!" Sonia boasted.

"Kekeke... Now then, I shall to present to you my discovery... I won't let you say such nonsense like "I forgot." Monokuma said it himself before we arrived here. He said there are ship parts in the Funhouse... Fall to your knees and show your gratitude to me, the Overlord of Ice of the Destroyed World of Death! Feast your eyes on this! Fuhahahahahahahahahaha! Behold! A motor! It's a ship part!"

The motor he held up was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and the others had to move closer to see it.

"B-Based on it's extremely small size, isn't it..." Hajime started.

Maki shook her head. "A remote-controlled toy. Why did I expect anything more?"

"Allow me to tell you a little old story..." Gundham said. "I was born as a result of a union between a human and a demon, and my existence was shunned by both races... Perhaps its because nobody has ever bought me a toy before, but I believe this is truly remarkable..."

"That's not the point." Maki said. "Monokuma gave us a cheap fucking toy instead of the parts he promised."

"Teee-heeeee!" Monokuma laughed as he appeared. "You totally got tricked! I never said a single word about the ship being real! Stupid! Idiot! Mooooooron!" With that parting insult, he disappeared.

"Well..." Byakuya muttered. "That's just another insult added to the injury. I suppose there's no reason to... waste our energy on rage or indignation..."

"Agreed." Maki said. "Let's just... move on."

"Allow me to give a brief report." Nagito started. "Since I'm the one who made this discovery, it's just as important as I am. Which means... it's not that important at all."

"...Just hurry up and say it already." Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Well, it's about the 3rd floor of Grape House... Do you remember what Monokuma said about the Monokuma Archive on the 3rd floor...? I actually tried to go there... Like the name suggests... it was an archive full of stuff about Monokuma. It reminded me... of those celebrities who build their memorial house in their hometown."

"Then it looks like we don't ever need to go in there." Chiaki said. "Ever."

Everyone agreed with this course of action.

"Ah, also... I found a lost child at the Monokuma Archive..."

"...A lost child?" Hajime repeated.

Nagito glanced around. "...Huh? Where did she go? Heeeeey, don't just hide, come on out!"

"H-Hello..." Monomi greeted as she appeared.

"...So the lost child was you."

"Right!? That's how people react, right!? Well, I had a general idea of how you all would react! It's okay... I won't be depressed anymore... I'm used to being treated so poorly... Hehe! How sad! It's so sad to get used to it!"

"She seemed a little tense..." Chiaki noted.

"Um... Did Monokuma bring you here as well, Monomi?" Sonia asked.

"Yes... I'm so ashamed of myself... for getting carelessly tricked by him... I'm a failure as a teacher! I have no right to guide everyone!"

"...Nobody here considers you a teacher to begin with..." Fuyuhiko said. "Anyway, I'm sure the others already know, but let me tell you just in case... The 2nd floor of Grape House also has guestrooms similar to the ones on the 2nd floor of Strawberry House. But instead of being covered with strawberry patterns, they're covered with grape patterns. Also... like the guestrooms, there's a similar lounge here as well. There's also a phone in the lounge too. However, instead of the grape button that was on the phone in Strawberry House's lounge... There's a strawberry button on the phone in Grape House's lounge. Now, I'm just guessing at this point but... It's possible... that we can use those two phones to communicate with each other."

"So the picture on the button shows where each phone connects to." Sonia said.

"That basically surmises Hiyoko and I's findings as well." Byakuya added.

"That's the last report, then?" Maki said. "Good. My turn."

"This is what you mentioned earlier, right?" Hajime asked. "About the structure of the Funhouse?"

"...The structure of the Funhouse?" Gundham repeated.

"It's quite obvious when you observe the door across from the one we entered from, as well as the one in Strawberry Tower. Any guesses?"

Chiaki started thinking. "The Grape Tower that we're currently in, and the Strawberry Tower we were in earlier... I think they're actually the same building."

"The two towers... are the same building, you say!?" Nekomaru gasped.

"I see... what makes you think that?" Nagito asked.

"...Their positions. Inside Strawberry House, Strawberry Hall is on your left when your back is facing the elevator, right? But inside Grape House... Grape Hall is on your right when your back is facing the elevator, right? And so, if we think about it and put those two together... The two towers are the same building, and each house connects to the centre... That's the building structure that comes to mind."

"Heh, not bad." Maki praised. "Like I said, when you observe the two doors, the conclusion becomes pretty straightforward. Depending on which door we enter or exit from, changes whether or not this is Strawberry Tower or Grape Tower."

Nagito nodded along. "Which means...when you look at the other side of the Grape Hall door that we used to come in here..."

"Yep, the grape picture should actually be on there." Chiaki said.

"So all we have to do to confirm is is close the door from this side, right?" Hiyoko asked.

"Mmmmm, that might be impossible."

"Impossible... why?"

"...Well, Hajime and Maki were the first ones to enter Grape Tower, right? When you two entered Grape Tower from Grape Hall... Didn't it take a little while for the door to open after you pressed the button?"

"Indeed it did." Maki answered.

"...So, just as I assumed."

"H-How... how'd you know?" Hajime asked.

"When I was walking around by myself... I went back to Strawberry House for a while. I felt like there was something I missed when suddenly... The Strawberry Hall door automatically closed in front of me."

"The door... automatically closed...?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"And afterward, no matter how hard I pressed the button, the Strawberry Hall door wouldn't open."

"But... why?" Sonia asked.

"The doors to Strawberry Tower and Grape Tower must be designed so that only one can be open at a time. I mean... if both doors opened at the same time, we'd easily find out that both towers are the same building. If that happens, it wouldn't be a Funhouse anymore, right?"

"Then... the reason the Strawberry Hall door automatically closed in front of you..." Nagito started.

"...Was because Hajime and I were entering Grape Tower." Maki finished.

Chiaki continued. "When that happened, the Grape Hall door didn't open cuz it was waiting for Strawberry Hall's door to close... If you think about it like that... it makes sense, right?"

"Okay, but like... What about the colours on the walls?" Hiyoko asked. "It's different for both towers."

"...You didn't notice?" Nagito asked. "They're just lights on the floor being shined on the wall. By reflecting a coloured light onto a white wall, it makes it look like the wall colour has changed."

"...And the picture on the floor?" Hiyoko glanced down at her feet, which were on top of a decal of Monomi's face stuffed with grapes.

Chiaki looked down as well. "Maybe the floor is just a screen, and the picture is being projected from beneath the floor... In fact, when you look at it closely, it's not a picture that was actually drawn on the floor."

Hiyoko folded her arms, but said nothing.

"This is a very important problem, so isn't it better if we test it out?" Nagito asked.

"...Test?" Hajime repeated.

"For example, we should leave something behind here, and we'll all go to Strawberry Tower... And if it's still there, we can conclude that they're the same building, right?"

"So, what? Should one of us just stay behind?" Maki asked. "That probably wouldn't work..."

"That's right. There's a sensor... preventing that." Nekomaru explained.

"Huh? Sensors?"

"Don't you feel it...? There are countless sensors plastered all over the tower's walls and floors... Why can't you notice themmmmmmmmmmm!?"

"I'm more surprised you were able to notice them." Byakuya said, eyeing the walls.

"My guess... is that the sensor can probably detect any movement within the tower..."

"And when it reacts, it prevents the door from opening..." Chiaki finished. "I knew there'd at least be something like that..."

"By the way... how good _is _that sensor's performance?" Nagito asked.

"It's quite high-performance... It seems it can even detect your heartbeats and breathing patterns."

"Then... it'd be completely impossible for someone to stay behind." Fuyuhiko said.

"What about Nekomaru?" Hiyoko asked. "He's a heartless robot, after all."

"I have a motor running inside me, it's as good as any human heart..."

"But if you're in sleep mode, that function will come to a stop too, right?" Nagito asked.

"Like you said, if I cease all functions with sleep mode, the sensor won't detect it but... Do you need to go that far to test it? I won't tolerate any robo-prejudice!"

Maki smirked. "Yeah, Nagito, don't be robophobic. He could sue you for that."

"...Sorry, you're right."

"And once I enter sleep mode... I will not regain consciousness until the "Good Night Switch" is pressed again or if my chest alarm goes off. I'm a little concerned about being left alone in that state."

"It is far too dangerous, even as an experiment!" Sonia protested. "It is possible that we might violate the laws of robotics!"

"That's not what those..." Maki shook her head. "Nevermind."

"Then... why don't we just use this?" Chiaki asked, pulling something from her pocket. "My student handbook. I'll leave this handbook here, and we'll all move over to Strawberry Tower... And if, by chance, the handbook is still there, we can safely say that the two towers are the same, right?"

"You're right...let's try this." Hajime said.

Chiaki placed her handbook on the floor, and everyone left to board the elevator to Strawberry House.

As the elevator doors shut, Sonia spoke up. "I must say... this elevator is rather quiet. It is like the toad's wart... Oh, wait... never mind!"

"Toad's wart... What's she talking about?" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"It doesn't feel like we're moving extremely fast." Nagito said. "It seems it's moving very slowly... If so... The two houses might be surprisingly close."

"If they're connected by a tower in the middle, then that would make sense." Byakuya said.

The elevator stopped, and everyone stepped out and made their way down Strawberry Hall.

"If you press the button next to this door, you should be able to enter Strawberry Tower..." Hajime explained.

"Then I'll press it." Chiaki said.

"Wait. Step aside, you fiends..." Gundham commanded, stepping forward.

"...Wh-What?"

"Emissary of evil... In accordance with our ancient contract... The time has come to lend me your aid... Pierce through! Supernova Silver Fox San-D!" He extended his arm toward the button. San-D climbed down his arm and stopped when she reached his hand. The hamster pressed herself forward with all her might.

"Ah, it pressed the button...?" Hajime noted.

"Truly, this is the Skyline Lamentation Art of the Demon Mouse...! Fuhahahaha! Soon, the door of destiny shall open!"

"Wow! Amazing! Your hamsters are truly skilled!" Sonia marvelled.

"I see, your eyes managed to follow San-D's movements... As expected of the Dark Lady, you have my praise."

"Amazing! Truly amazing! You must have a strong, trusting relationship with them!"

Despite himself, Gundham blushed. "...Th-Thank you..."

Chiaki stood before the door. "...Mmm... Just as I thought, it's taking a while to open."

Nagito nodded. "Considering what we discussed earlier... The sensor will confirm that nothing is moving inside the tower, then wait for the other door to close..."

Suddenly, the door opened, and everyone entered Strawberry Tower.

"Ah, look over there!" Sonia gasped.

"It's there... The handbook...!" Hajime said.

Chiaki made her way over and picked it up. "Yep, there's no doubt. This is my student handbook."

"...It seems that we've confirmed it." Nagito said. "Strawberry Tower and Grape Tower are actually the same building. And depending on whether you enter it from Strawberry Hall or Grape Hall, the tower... becomes either Strawberry Tower or Grape Tower."

"Then, that door over there with the grape image on it..." Nekomaru said. "It's not the exit... But it appears it's connected to Grape House's Grape Hall."

"But... it also means that we have no idea where the exit is... Well, I guess that can't be helped. There's no way we'd actually find the exit that easily. Well, anyway, I'm surprised! I can't believe you already uncovered a secret like this. As expected of Chiaki, you're truly amazing. Normally, all you do is stare into space, but at times like this you really pull through for us."

"However... why was this building designed so strangely?" Sonia wondered.

"There's probably no reason." Monomi explained. "It's simply because "it's a Funhouse." That's all the reason Monokuma needs!"

"The reminds me... Whatever happened to the Monokuma Announcement?" Nekomaru asked.

"What do you mean?"

"According to my internal clock, it's already past 10:00 p.m.!"

"Huh!? Is it that time already!?" Sonia gasped.

"Despite that... why hasn't there been a Monokuma Announcement!?"

"Allow me to answer!" Monokuma said as he appeared. "Every single day, up until now... I have consistently let you know when it's morning and night on this island. And thanks to that, you've been able to live a normal life... Did you guys mistake me for some kind of pretty alarm clock? Ah, well... It's totally true that I'm pretty but... For the time being, the Monokuma Announcements are on hiatus. You can't go outside and there are no windows here, so it's not like it matters if it's morning or night. Also... I've been thinking of a little something to replace the Monokuma Announcements. Puhu... puhuhuhuhuhuhu." And then, he was gone.

"What's wrong with him...?" Fuyuhiko growled. "Well, if there's no announcements, we can just look at the clock..."

"Both Strawberry House and Grape House have clocks in their 2nd floor lounges." Nagito recalled.

"Even if I don't look at a clock, I have my internal clock, so it's no problem for me anyway!" Nekomaru added.

"And it's already past 10:00 p.m., right? I'm starting to feel sleepy after hearing that." Chiaki yawned.

"Since we don't have food... it might be better if we rest and conserve our energy." Nagito decided. "For now, let's just decide our room assignments."

"Room assignments...?" Hajime repeated.

"Each house had five guestrooms, so we should first decide who's going to stay in which house."

"Hmmm... why don't we make things simple and split them between the boys and the girls?" Chiaki suggested.

"Yes, let us do that!" Sonia agreed.

"It does make the most sense." Byakuya said.

"Then ladies first..." Gundham offered. "Now then, kittens! Choose which house you would like!"

"Let's just choose Grape House." Chiaki said. "Staring at a red room is just going to strain my eyes."

"Then the men shall have Strawberry House!" Nekomaru said. "Strawberry men are known for passion!"

"Also... each house had guestrooms of varying quality, right?" Nagito pointed out.

"Wasn't it two Deluxe Rooms, one Standard Room... and two Crummy Rooms?" Fuyuhiko recalled.

"So we need to decide those next." Byakuya said.

"But there are only five rooms in each house, right?" Hajime said. "Then one guy will be left over..."

"Then that means... there's only one appropriate way to settle this!" Nekomaru roared.

"Appropriate way...?"

"Rock Paper Scissors, of course!"

Suddenly, a Rock Paper Scissors battle began between the six guys. And the results...

"Ah, sorry. I ended up winning so easily." Nagito chuckled.

"So I take second place..." Gundham added. "That's fine. I was getting bored of always being on top."

"It's decided!" Nekomaru cheered. "You two will get a Deluxe Room! Now then, regarding the third winner... Gaaaahaha! It's meeeeeeeeee! I will be resting in the Standard Room!"

"Me and Byakuya are next..." Fuyuhiko said.

"So I'm left with a Crummy Room. I suppose I should make the most of it."

"That's unfortunate, Hajime..." Nagito said. "You can rest in the lounge but try not to catch a cold. Hey, how about you Grape House girls? Did you all pick your rooms as well?"

"Yeah, we did. We had a brief discussion and settled things smoothly." Chiaki explained. "Sonia and Hiyoko have the Deluxe Rooms, I have the Standard Room... and apparently Maki wants one of the Crummy Rooms."

"Huh? Why did you choose the Crummy Room?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"It's not that I "wanted" it." She clarified. "But one of us had to take it, and I really don't care how crappy it is. I've suffered under worse conditions..."

"So there is a Crummy Room left..." Sonia said. "Hajime, if you would like, please use it."

"...Huh?"

"Hajime, you can use our leftover room." Chiaki explained.

"Yeah, might as well." Maki said. "Otherwise, it'll go to waste, and you'll catch your death."

"I don't mind..." Hiyoko agreed. "As long as he doesn't try to do anything to us in our sleep."

"Thank you... it really helps that I have a place to sleep."

"Now then, it's decided." Nekomaru said. "We should turn in for today."

With that, the class split in two, and their first day in the Funhouse came to a close.

* * *

**Woah, Maki, cool it with that hinting at your backstory! I'm still working on Albert discovering who you really are!**

**Unfortunately, that's the only part of this chapter that's really different from canon. Further unfortunately, I can't really talk much about that without accidentally spilling even more about Maki's backstory, so it looks like I have not much to talk about in general. Um...**

**...Hey, what do you prefer? Strawberries or grapes?**

**In the next chapter, we'll spend some more time starving, and maybe see what Al's up to. I dunno.**


	28. Chapter 27

**I originally planned for this chapter to include a bunch of small scenes. Instead, we ended up getting three kinda-long scenes. But each scene is jam-packed with interesting circumstances. At least by my standards, I dunno.**

**Also, we get to see Albert and friends! That hasn't happened in the middle of a "chapter" since "chapter 2." The quotations are for in-game chapters, not my story's chapters. What will he discuss!? What will Maki be doing in the meantime!? Only time will tell!**

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

**Those We Become**

The next morning, everyone seemed to awaken at different times. They were so used to hearing the Monokuma Announcements every morning that their minds weren't used to waking up on their own. Some students woke up too earlier, some slept in too late. In any case, even after awakening, it wasn't very busy within the Funhouse. Everyone avoided moving too much, and moved slowly when they did, so that they could conserve as much energy as possible.

Byakuya was the last to leave his room. He stayed in bed longer than necessary due to his fear of burning excess calories. Still, he was in the best shape out of anyone for a situation like this, so it was his duty to help investigate.

These were his thoughts as he made his way over to Grape House. Upon exiting the contact elevator, he noticed someone with him on the 1st floor.

"Maki. I see you had the same idea as me."

She half-turned. "Hey, Byakuya." With that, she turned back to the statues she was investigating.

"Have you found anything?"

"I assume you mean something regarding an exit?"

"Um, yes."

"I have not."

He crossed his arms. He wanted to ask "Are you okay?" or something to that effect, but the answer was obvious. Everyone could see it. The last case had deteriorated Maki's emotional and mental state severely. It was hard enough to speak with Maki on an even level normally, she was too aloof and usually lead the flow of the conversation herself. Now, though? Her mood was yet another layer in the way.

"So, do you want anything?" Maki asked impatiently. "Or are you just going to stare at me like a piece of meat?" After a moment, she smirked at her own dark humour. "Oh, I guess I shouldn't use that expression in this situation, huh?"

"Don't worry. I'm not that far gone that I would consider cannibalism. Besides, long pig is actually much more detrimental to one's health than you would think."

"Are you speaking from experience, or is that just random trivia?"

"Luckily, just something I read." He sighed, deciding to change the subject. "So... have you learned anything about these... effegies?"

Maki turned back toward them. "Eight statues. They appear to be made of bronze, and don't really fit with the rest of the building. The nameplates also seem tacked-on at the last minute, if you ask me. Going from left to right, we have Esper..."

She pointed to a statue of a girl, no older than high-school age. She wore a sailor uniform, and had long, blue hair. She had a microphone in her hands, and a pleasant smile on her face.

"...11037..." She pointed to a statue of a boy, of similar age. He was dressed with a punk aesthetic, with many piercings, and his hair and goatee were red. In his hand was a baseball and a bat.

"...Bloodlust..." The next statue was another girl. She was dressed in a school uniform with a long skirt and large glasses, and her dark purple hair was tied into two long braids. She timidly held a book to her chest.

"...Brother..." The next was a boy with a long leather jacket and pompadour. He appeared to be some sort of delinquent. He had a fierce look on his face, and he carried a pickaxe.

"...Boy Scout..." Next was a boy with short black hair and red eyes. He was dressed in a student council uniform. He stood with a salute, and had a determined smile.

"...Otaku..." Next was a very rotund boy, wearing a school uniform and small glasses. He was scribbling away at something with a pencil and paper.

"...Clairvoyant..." Next was a boy with wild dreadlocks. He seemed considerably older, wore a uniform with the coat over his shoulders, and held a crystal ball in his hands.

"...And finally, Ogre." Last was a tall, muscular figure wearing a girl's sailor uniform and standing in a victory pose.

"Quite an array." Byakuya said.

She nodded, then turned away from them. "I was planning to check out the Monokuma Archive eventually, but I can't psyche myself up to sit in a room like that for too long."

"Surely it's better than starving to death, though?"

"To death, yes. Just starving though, I can put up with."

"Then you have more willpower than I. I'm already feeling peckish, and it's gnawing at my mind as well as my stomach."

"Heh, I guess a Togami wouldn't know how to deal with hunger." Maki glanced at the nearby staircase to make sure they were alone before playfully smacking her forehead. "Oh, that's right. You're not actually a Togami, are you?"

His eyes widened. "So... you knew. I suspected, after you backed up my cover story. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're usually on top of these things."

"Oh, no. I knew long before I saw that picture. You play the part of an Affluent Progeny well, but the Togami's aren't exactly a secret society, you know."

"They aren't exactly public figures, either." He countered.

"True, but it seems they're at least public enough that we each got a look at the real one at some point. So, what's with the disguise, anyway? Who are you?"

"...I have no name." He admitted. "I was born with nothing; No name, no family, no birth certificate, no home. I never had any identity at all. All I ever wanted was to live a normal life, but no matter where I go or who I try to be, I just feel... empty. That's why I had to steal the identities of others, it's the only way I ever feel like I exist. I hate stealing the faces and behaviours of others, and I hate lying to others, but... I don't know what else I can do." He sighed. "I picked up the name of Byakuya Togami because he was everything I couldn't be. He earned his spot in the world, he had a name, a family, a home, and a fortune to inherit. No one could deny his existence."

"...Deny his existence, huh...?" Maki muttered. It seemed like the statement touched a nerve. "What about talent? You're not the Affluent Progeny, but you must have something if Hope's Peak wanted you."

"A couple of months before this, one of their talent scouts caught me. He gave me two choices. 1, he would expose my identity theft and other fraudulent behaviour, or 2, I could get protection from Hope's Peak in exchange for allowing them to study my talent. I had little reason to refuse the offer. After all, it would be nice to have a roof over my head and a steady stream of meals. As for my talent? They dubbed me the "Ultimate Imposter"."

"That's certainly accurate to what I've seen so far."

The Imposter clenched his gut. "I've never shared that much with one person before... It must be this hunger. It's making me dazed..."

"Heh. You know what Nekomaru told me a while ago? He said this game had a way of tearing down my walls. He pointed out how aloof I was at the start of the game, versus how open I was a few days ago. I wonder if he'd say the same now..." She began pacing. "Was it really only a couple of days ago? It feels like another life... But given how many I've had, they do start to blur."

"...What was that? I certainly understand the feeling of having multiple lives, but I didn't think anyone else could relate to it."

She checked once more that they were alone before adding, "Let's just say, I haven't always been Maki Yugami. Pretty much the only constant in my life is that I'm interested in criminology. I wonder... How would you feel if I told you this isn't my first killing game?"

"Y-You've participated in a game like this before!?"

"Well, not _exactly _like this. The mastermind was definitely someone else, and the rules were slightly different. But all in all, the same premise applied. Motive, murder, trial, execution. Rinse and repeat."

The Imposter shook his head. "What kind of criminal underworld did you...?"

"I beat that game, and got my "happy ending." But it wasn't until later that I came to a harsh realization. This world... isn't beautiful, like I once thought. Humans are ugly, hideous monsters who will kill once they have the weakest of excuses. They aren't worth saving."

She started walking off toward the elevator. The Imposter called after her. "Wait!"

"...What?" She slowed her pace, but didn't stop.

"...A lot of humans are horrible, that's true. As a criminal myself, I've met many cruel and violent monsters who take what they want without concern. But not all humans are like that. There are a select few who are completely selfless, almost entirely devoid of sin. And even the worst monster has something good to offer, has a chance to be redeemed. Surely, as the Ultimate Criminologist, you know all of this is true. Human life _is _worth protecting. I won't let you say it's not."

Maki stood in front of the elevator, calmly. "I don't know why everyone picked now of all times to get idealistic, but your platitudes are wasted on me. This is a killing game. I'll do whatever I have to in order to survive, and if you don't accept my methods, well..." She pointed a finger-gun at the side of her head. "The solution is the name of the game. I dare you to try."

With that, she pushed the elevator button and walked inside. A moment later, the doors shut and she was moving toward Strawberry House.

The Imposter sighed. "At this rate, another killing is inevitable. Can anyone even control someone like her?"

* * *

"That's... a lot to take in."

Chihiro and I found ourselves talking over breakfast. I hadn't taken many bites, however, as I did most of the talking. I finally bit the bullet and decided to talk with him about what's _really _troubling me.

As it happened, he and his father's alternating shifts managed to line up in a way that Chihiro got off work the same time I woke up this morning. Seeing this coincidental timing as some sort of twisted fate, I decided to invite him to breakfast. Part of me, specifically the socially-awkward procrastinator part, was kinda hoping he would turn it down. Instead, he said he was hungry and would love to eat something before bed. Hooray for mismatched internal clocks, I guess.

After a moment, I finally responded. "Well, you said you wanted to help me. I needed someone to listen to me who isn't Miaya. So our interests aligned, in a way."

"...Is there anything else I can do to help?" He asked.

I took a sip of ice water as I tried to think of a response to that. This wasn't how I expected him to react, but in hindsight, any other reaction would be out of character. Chihiro has suffered from, and probably still suffers from, an inferiority complex just as bad as mine, and even if he didn't... he's _Chihiro_. The dude literally wouldn't hurt a fly, because he wouldn't want its family to grieve its loss. With that level of sickeningly sweet kindness, I'm pretty sure it would be impossible for him to hold a grudge against me unless I did something drastic, like kill his dad or something.

Which just made me feel like an even bigger asshole, because _I'm _holding a grudge against _him _over something stupid and petty. What's wrong with me?

"I dunno." I said helpfully. "I mean, you've had an inferiority complex longer than I have. You know what it's like."

"You also like to remind me that I wasn't dealing with it in a healthy way." He pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but that's more of a casual observation on my part. It doesn't mean _I_ know what a healthy way is. It's like... I don't know how to drive a car, but if I see a car accident, I still know someone did something wrong. You get it?"

"I... think so?" He thought for a moment. "Is the accident supposed to be the complex, or my way of dealing with it?"

I facepalmed. "I don't... The point is, I don't know how to deal with this properly. Miaya said something about "reframing negative thoughts" or something like that."

"Oh, I think I know what she means. When I pretended to be a girl, that was basically me trying to justify my own weakness. When people called me "weak" or "small," I just told myself it was okay, because I was trying to be a girl. Well, maybe that's not really what she means, but..."

"Uh, right... So, when I start to think about how I can't save everyone, I should instead try to reframe it as "hey, it doesn't matter, because I can still save some people!" Like that way of thinking isn't inhumane or anything..." I sighed. "Sorry, I got a little bitter at the end, there."

He gave an awkward smile. "It's fine. That's why you came to talk to me, right? I don't want you to feel like you have to hide how you feel around me."

"Okay... If you're sure." I took a bite of my sandwich. I know he probably doesn't care, but I wanted some way to return the sentiment. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure he already doesn't hide his feelings from me, so repeating that statement wouldn't make sense. Damn, why was it so hard to have such awesome friends?

I found myself thinking about his earlier statement, and I decided to ask what was on my mind. "This might be an odd question, but... Why did you jump straight to dressing like a girl? I mean, there had to be other options, right?"

"It's not like it's the first thing I decided or anything." He explained. "It's just, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get as strong as the other boys. Or even some of the girls. I was so frail, I spent a lot of time indoors. That's how I found my talent for programming, so I guess it wasn't all bad... Anyway, I thought maybe I could hold out until I grew up, and then people would leave me alone. But it seemed like everyday, I'd hear the same thing over and over again. That I was weak, or I should man up. But girls aren't expected to be strong, so when I entered junior-high, I decided to try being one..."

"I know it's off-topic from what we were talking about, but I have always been curious." I said. "Did you ever... like dressing as a girl?"

"Well, no. Deep down, I knew it wouldn't actually fix my problem, it was just a way for me to avoid it. And that made me feel... ashamed. Also, it was kind of a chore to keep it up." He squinted at me slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"I guess it's just always bothered me a little how you say things that are kinda sexist, like how women are "weak" and men have to be "strong," but then you also, as I like to point out, chose to live as a girl as an easy out from toxic masculinity, and it just... I know it's definitely culture shock, but I feel like this is the one thing where you and I are never on the same wavelength."

"I mean, that kind of thinking isn't wrong, right? Guys are just naturally stronger than girls. That's not sexist, that's biology."

"Maybe on average, but statistical averages hardly matter when it comes to the individual. Look at Sakura, for example. In fact, I'm pretty sure half of our female friends could easily kick my ass, and I'm the strongest guy in our group."

"Yeah, but... How do you know they wouldn't be stronger if they were male?"

"That's not... Okay, yeah, testosterone does have that effect, but that's not really my point. My point is that there are plenty of strong girls and weak guys. And the fact that I'm the only one in our group who doesn't find that odd is often in the back of my mind, especially when I'm talking to you. And that's not even getting into things like transgender people, and...Y'know, that would be a much better conversation to have with my psychology textbooks. Would you mind if I shelved this for later?"

"That's fine. This doesn't sound like something to talk about right before bed, anyway." He said.

"Or after just waking up." I added. "So, what were we talking about before? My self-loathing which is, in part, caused by being envious of you, who is also someone who is self-loathing? Yeah, that's less complicated."

"When has anything _ever _been simple in our group?" He asked.

I laughed. "Y'know, we should do this more. Just talk about whatever. It's probably not a coincidence that my stress levels started skyrocketing the same time I separated myself from this group."

"So, you're not mad at me or anything?" He asked.

"No. I'm jealous, but I've been jealous of people before. You also know what that's like, right? You know... with Mondo."

His face turned sad. "It might be a weird thing to say but... I think his trial was one of the scariest."

"I don't think that's weird at all. Your darkest secret got exposed, and you had to watch your idol slowly break down over a murder."

"...A murder he committed to save my life..."

I tried, and failed, to think of something reassuring to say. For this situation, I would usually say something like "He knew the risks," but the problem is that doesn't really apply to Mondo's crime. He committed it while in a fit of rage. It wasn't premeditated. He wasn't in a state of mind to weigh his options and decide what was the best course of action.

Finally, I said, "It was Junko's fault. She drove him crazy, and put him in that situation. You can't blame yourself."

"I know. I just... sometimes wonder what I could have done differently..."

"We all do. Just the other day, Kyoko confessed to me that even she thinks like that."

"Even Kyoko...?"

"And I can guarantee you even Byakuya and Celeste are the same way, too. This is something that'll affect all of us, probably for the rest of our lives. That's the price of being a survivor. That's why... we have to make sure nobody ever has to go through the same things we did." I glanced at the corner of my table, where my case file against Alice Kizuki was sitting.

Chihiro nodded. "Have you made any progress?"

"I'm getting there. Just a little more, and my theory will be confirmed." I sighed. "I don't want to talk about work right now. Let's change the subject."

"Um... I did have something I want to ask, but you don't have to answer it if you don't want to." He said.

"Shoot."

"What... What about me are you jealous of, exactly?"

"That's... hard to put into words, on the spot, but I'll try. Let's see... You're very smart. While I might beat you in the investigation department, you're just generally more intelligent than me. You're kind, and you don't even have to try to be, it's just who you are. But I think what gets me the most is your strength. When Monokuma had your secret, you didn't give up. Contrast that with me, who literally let Sayaka and Leon die because I was too scared to stop them. You're just... everything I wish I was."

"...I don't know what to say... I'm just... not as amazing as you always tell me I am."

"You think that. Everyone thinks that. Doesn't mean it's true. That's the trick to inferiority, I think. Your mind ends up hyperfocusing on your flaws, or just straight-up lies to you. That's why friends are important, especially to people like you and me. They can see through our illusions, and show us the truth of how powerful we really are."

"Al, that... was really cool."

I scratched my head. "You think so? I was just thinking aloud, basically."

"You sounded like a poet or something." He insisted.

I am now becoming Gundham. A step in the right direction, I guess. "I have to admit, parts of that were paraphrased from something an old friend of mine used to say."

"An old friend? From your home world?"

"Yeah, a childhood friend. His name was Light. I miss that bastard..."

"What was he like?"

I thought about that. "Uh... He's kinda like you, except more of a dick. Not in an insufferable way, he just liked to talk smack. I suppose he was also more confident, in a way. Also, he was about as bad with computers as I am."

"Um... how is he like me, exactly?"

"...Good question. Not sure why I said that."

I heard footsteps approach, and a few moments later we weren't alone.

"There you are, Al. What are you two talking about?" Byakuya asked, entering the room.

"Oh, we were just talking about you." I said.

"Um, no, we weren't." Chihiro clarified.

"I lied." I admitted. "I just wanted to stroke your ego first thing in the morning. It usually makes you easier to deal with."

He rolled his eyes. "Right... In any case, Makoto and Kyoko are waiting for us. It's time for a broadcast."

"Ah, right. Almost forgot about that." I got up, stuffed the remainder of my sandwich in my face, picked up my documents, and nodded to Chihiro. "We'll do this some other time. Sweet dreams for now. Seeya."

He waved me off as I went with Byakuya. Our destination was the top floor of the administration building. That's where Makoto and Kyoko would be waiting with the laptop. We stayed quiet for a while as we walked, before Byakuya broke the silence.

"I'm assuming Chihiro mentioned Maki- er, Alice Kizuki's status, right?" He said.

"Uh, no..." I didn't quite like the word "status." Was she dead or something? That wasn't good. "He probably planned to bring it up at some point, but I kinda took control of the conversation."

"Of course..." He sighed. "Well, last night, Chihiro managed to make some progress in his counter-hacking. It wasn't long before his access was restricted again, but we managed to download a copy of some of the code that makes up Alice Kizuki's files. Most of the information was regarding things we already know, but there was one interesting tidbit.

He gave a pause for dramatic effect. I stared. "Well?"

"...According to the files, her status has been set to "immortal" this whole time."

"Oh. _Oh_. _Ohhhhhh_... That explains some things."

"Then you have a better clue than I. All I can think of is that it explains some of her nonchalance at participating in a killing game. After all, if her body can't be damaged, any attempt on her life would be fruitless. This whole time I assumed that was part of her confession to Hiyoko, that she was part of another killing game in the past."

"Well, those are all very good points, but not quite what I had in mind." I clarified. "After the first trial, there was a conversation between Monokuma and Alice. I was alone in the observations room, aside from Taichi, but he was preoccupied with the computer and probably didn't pick up on it. But Monokuma delivered a weird warning. "I'm fine with the fact you're protecting yourself from the other students. But if you are ever voted as the blackened and executed, just know that I can override that sort of thing." It seems Junko has access to Alice's files."

Byakuya nodded. "That makes sense, given that both viruses are working to protect each other. And what Monokuma said is true, the observer in the "teacher" position is the only thing in the system that can delete immortal objects."

"What exactly does it mean to be immortal, in the program's context?" I asked.

"Apparently, it simply makes her immune to injury. Contrary to the name of the setting, she can still die. Since she's still an avatar, she can experience starvation or illness, so Monokuma's motives would still affect her. She can also feel pain, but the main point is that her avatar cannot be damaged by external means."

"Like explosions or fires..." I recalled her reckless behaviour during the party. "...But what does this mean for the overall mystery?"

Byakuya shrugged. "That's the question, isn't it? It's like a puzzle. We have the pieces, we just need to figure out how they fit together."

"...Yeah. I just get the feeling we're missing something. Something important."

* * *

Maki inserted the key and twisted it, finishing the escape room.

"Too easy." She turned to the exit. The iron bars covering the door lifted, but the door remained locked. In the centre of the room, a pedestal rose from the ground, with a simple revolver resting on it.

She picked up the revolver, inspecting it closely. She seemed confused what she was supposed to do. Then, she pulled out the letter she received when she entered the room.

_Solve the mystery of the Final Dead Room and you will obtain The Right to Play the Life-Threatening Game. About the Life-Threatening Game... It's Life-Threatening Roulette._

_P.S. You are held liable for setting the roulette's difficulty! Depending on the difficulty, I've prepared special prizes, but make sure you don't overdo yourself!_

"Difficulty..." She stared at the revolver. Hesitantly, she opened the chamber, revealing all six bullets still inside. She stared for an agonizingly long time. Eventually, she sighed. "Fuck it. All or nothing."

She closed the chamber, without removing a single bullet. She spun it, mostly for show, before pressing the tip of the gun to her temple. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger.

_**BANG!**_

The sound of the gunshot echoed off the walls of the small room. She slowly pulled the gun away from her head, and the dented bullet fell from her temple to the floor below.

As she let out the breath she was holding, the door clicked, unlocking itself.

"Child's play." She claimed, stepping through to the Octagon. It resembled an armoury that one would find in a military base. It was filled with countless tools and weaponry, ranging from medieval to contemporary.

"Congratulations Maki!" Monokuma growled as she entered. He seemed a mix of seriously angry and begrudgingly proud. "Congratulations on clearing the Final Dead Room. And... you even broke the rules using your special characteristic..."

"I was banking on the fact that you'd likely get more enjoyment watching me continuously suffer than you would lose by letting me break your little Final Dead Room."

"Puhuhu... As expected of the Ultimate Criminologist, you sure do understand my motivations, huh?"

"Less talking, more giving out prizes."

"Right, right..." Monokuma produced a Future Foundation file, and a binder with the Hope's Peak crest on it. "Hmm... Of course, these are the prizes for what I thought was the highest difficulty, a one-six chance. But you took it even farther and beat the game with a 0% chance, so I feel like this is a little lacking."

"Yeah. Especially considering I'm already well aware of any information in those files." She walked around the Octagon for a few minutes while Monokuma stood there watching her.

She inspected the various weaponry and tools she now had access to. Blades, bludgeons, ropes and wires, explosives, poisons, guns. Some ideas started to form in her mind.

"How about this...? I'll trade in those files and combine their prize points with the bonus points I earned from my ramped up difficulty. That should be enough for what I have in mind."

"Prize points? What do you think this is, a Funhouse? Oh, wait..." Monokuma put the files away before turning to her expectantly. "So? What did you have in mind?"

"From any time between now and the end of the next trial, I have a free pass from any rule violation. How about that?"

The bear seemed to consider it. He did like making things more interesting, and this would certainly spice things up. But Maki was already an odd circumstance on her own. "...One."

"One?"

"You can ignore one rule, between now and the end of the next trial. That's my compromise."

"If you can let me break one, why not all?" She pressed.

"Sorry, no can do. You know how this system works. Those anti-virus softwares are giving me enough trouble as it is! I don't need the game itself trying to delete me for breaking a bunch of rules! You should be lucky I'm letting you break one. I'm totally gonna get a headache over it, but I'm feeling super generous right now!"

"...Could that be because I caused you despair by foiling your Final Dead Room?"

"N-No, stupid...! Jeez, stop teasing me like that! It's not like I like it or anything...!"

"Uh-huh." She rolled her eyes. "In any case, you don't have to worry about the system giving you a hard time. I don't plan on really "breaking" any rules, I just like the idea of having some breathing room to bend them."

"So? Any idea which rule you're gonna bend?"

She grabbed a coil of wire, testing it's durability. Then, her eyes fell on a crate of C4. "I have a couple of ideas."

"Puhuhu... I knew there was a reason I liked you so much. Well, other than all that internalized despair, of course. It's like I said before... Though it might be weird to say since you two are so different, you definitely remind me of _him_."

Maki said nothing, still taking inventory of the room.

"That reminds me... You said something to that effect back then, didn't you? "If this game goes on for too long, even I might be tempted to sacrifice the others to save myself." Has the time come already? Puhuhu..."

She grabbed a revolver from a nearby gun rack. "...I can't die. If the only way to avoid starvation is to take matters into my own hands, so be it. I'll kill everyone here if I have to..."

"Puhu... Puhuhuhu... In that case, don't disappoint me!" With that, he disappeared.

She tucked the revolver in her pants and made her way to the door.

* * *

**The statues were a thing I had to think about a bit. I heard a theory somewhere that the Funhouse was some sort of beta area for the Neo World Program, and that the Sakura statue was added as a tribute from Hina to her friend, and the only reason Monokuma didn't trash it like the rest of the place was because he held some form of respect for her. I liked this theory. In my mind, if Hina made a suggestion like that, Albert would probably suggest doing the same for the others. He'd probably also want to do the same for Mukuro, and maybe even do a little something for Junko, but probably wouldn't bring that up to the others.**

**Albert finally starts to finish up his arc with Chihiro. I didn't expect it to take this long, but you know what they say when you have multiple storylines going on. They say "damn, that's a lot of storylines." Also, what's this "broadcast" Byakuya's talking about? Hmm...**

**_MAKI IS INVINCIBLE!_ Okay, not really, but it's a dangerous advantage for someone in a killing game to have. This does explain some of her behaviour throughout the game, and also provides some insight into just how much control over her presence in the program she has. Also, she now has free reign of the Final Dead Room. That's not good.**

**In the next chapter, we'll spend some more time starving, and maybe see what Al's up to. Wait, I said that last time, didn't I? Damn.**


	29. Chapter 28

***checks calendar*... Oh hey, it's Friday. I'm supposed to update the story today. *checks clock*... Shit.**

**Admittedly, I was kinda behind on this one due to a blackout wiping out a fair few paragraphs. And now I'll have to live with the feeling that what I've written as a replacement reads inferior when compared to the original, which shall never see mortal eyes again.**

**In any case, like the previous chapter, I originally planned to jam more scenes in here, but it ended up getting kinda crowded with just the two. Combine this fact with the aforementioned blackout, and yeah.**

**Any other news... Hmm... In one month's time, I will have been working on this story for exactly a year. That's pretty wild to think about, when my previous two stories averaged at about half that time.**

**Yeah, I think that's it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 28**

**Alone Together**

Byakuya and I arrived in a small computer room near the top of the administration building, where Makoto and Kyoko were waiting for us. This was the Communications Room. It was where our broadcast would take place, and where the others had come to contact me before I arrived on this island.

Technically speaking, since we had laptops, we could probably preform the broadcast anywhere, but this room allowed us to directly connect to the servers, and since it was on the highest floor, this was the spot where the connection would be the clearest. At least, that's how I think it works.

I had expressed concern that connecting to the server might reveal our location to the rest of the Future Foundation. Not only did this further reveal my ineptitude with computers, but Kyoko explained that it was a little late for those concerns when she had already contacted her grandfather to send her files to aid with the investigation. And before that, to contact me when this whole mess began.

"Hey guys. Everything ready?" I asked, stepping inside.

At the sound of my voice, Makoto turned from the desk he was sitting at to face me. "Hey, Al. Sorry for bothering you, I just thought you wouldn't want to miss this."

"Not for the world." I agreed, sitting beside him so I was in the webcam's view.

"Have you made any progress with that?" Kyoko asked, pointing to the files in my hand.

I shrugged. "I've been reading through it, if that's what you mean, but I haven't found what I'm looking for yet..."

"It's not like the rest of us are very busy." Byakuya said. "Maybe if you bothered to tell us exactly what it _is _you're looking for, we could help."

"Problem with that is, I'm not exactly sure if that would help or make things harder. The whole thing's written in a sort of semi-code that I've been trying to translate. I think it'd be faster if I just did it myself."

Before they could press the issue any further, the screen lit up with an alert for an incoming call. Makoto clicked to allow it, and the connection was established. For a few more seconds, the screen was a choppy mess, and we could only make out distorted voices. Eventually, though, the line stabilized, and I could make out the familiar faces of Komaru and Hina.

"Makoto!" Komaru called out when she saw his face.

"Hey, Komaru! Is everything going well? You're not hurt, are you?"

I figured there wasn't much to be gained from listening to their sibling reunion talk, other than being able to brag that I've witnessed it from both ends of the connection. I swear, they did this every time, and it seemed Hina, Byakuya, and Kyoko were aware of the process as well. So instead, I turned my attention to what was happening on the other end. Neither of them seemed injured in any way, though Hina seemed more roughed up than when I last saw her. That was par for the course, given her assignment. Judging from the background, they were in a different hotel than the one we were hiding out in before I left.

In the background, some of the others who volunteered to go with Hina sat around a table, playing cards or something and only half paying attention. Kenshiro, Takaaki, Takemichi, and Yuta. Maybe not the strongest group of escorts. Kenshiro had some sort of heart disease, if I recalled correctly, and looked pretty sickly despite his intense power. Takaaki was old, but he was a former police officer. And Yuta... back during my time in Towa, he ended up taking a hit to save my life, and lost his legs as a result. Thankfully, after having Future Foundation look at him, they were able to give him some prosthetics that seemed to work well. But that didn't make me feel any less guilty.

I glanced at Hina. If she was at all bothered by her brother's injuries, she sure never showed it. In fact, when I told her about it, she was just happy to know he was alive. I suppose that's not so strange. If I saw one of my siblings or old friends after all this time, I wouldn't waste my energy being upset if they were maimed, I'd just be happy to know they're okay.

She must've noticed me staring (how that came across on a video chat, I don't know), because she interrupted Makoto and Komaru's conversation. "So, how have things been without me? I want all the details."

I raised a hand. "Ooh, I think I can get this in like, eight words, uh... "Crazy computer chick makes everything worse"..."

"That was six words." Kyoko said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, and uh... "Can't sleep." There, that works." Assuming we were allowing contractions, of course.

"But you always had trouble sleeping, right?" Komaru asked. "I always thought you had... what's it called? Insombreness?"

"Insomnia? Not really. It's just that in the whole time you've known me, my sleeping places were the stone floor of a resistance base, and a bunch of abandoned hotels."

Hina squinted at the screen. "So... Makoto, Byakuya, Kyoko, and Al. Where are the others?"

"Since this is kind of a cyber attack, Chihiro's been working himself to the bone." Makoto explained. "We decided to let him get his rest."

"And Celeste is... well, Celeste." I added.

She nodded, understanding exactly what I meant. "Speaking of the cyber attack... Do you have any leads on who the hacker is?"

Right. Hina had been kept almost completely out of the loop on our investigations. We were only able to do these broadcasts every so often, and it wasn't like she really _needed _to know this stuff, so she was never informed. But I knew how frustrating it could be to be kept in the dark.

"We... haven't had many leads." I admitted. "The biggest problem is that, for most of this, we haven't really been sure of the true nature of our opponent. Is this "Maki Yugami" a computer virus, someone forcibly entering the program, or something else entirely? That was always the biggest hurdle."

"Which one is it, then?"

"Please, do tell, Al. We're all very curious." Byakuya pressed.

I rolled my eyes. "At this point... I'm pretty sure she's human."

Byakuya squinted, clearly not expecting that answer. "...But, she-"

"She was able to alter several of her settings within the program, including making herself invincible and hiding her real name, Alice Kizuki. Her files are also being protected by the Junko virus, and in turn, her files are protecting the virus as well. Is that what you were going to say?"

"Well, yeah-"

"I think this can all be explained rather simply, however. I believe that Alice has entered the computer, in a similar way those stasis pods let our Remnants enter the program. Except, instead of entering the program itself, she's entered the _computer_, allowing her to effect and alter a lot more than she should be able to."

Everyone else was silent, on both ends of the connection. Byakuya took a measured breath, no doubt thrilled about how I interrupted him twice in a row. Finally, he said, "You think that theory is more likely than the idea that someone just placed a virus in our system? Especially considering the Junko virus proves that the latter is entirely possible?"

"Considering the latter doesn't account for the overwhelming evidence that she's human? Yes, I do think it's more likely."

Before Byakuya could respond again, Kyoko smirked and said, "Interesting. Care to elaborate?"

Her words were blunt, but they carried pride. I was happy to oblige. "She's talked at length about her past, and with many details that seem unnecessarily suspicious. If she was crafting her backstory in an attempt to stay inconspicuous, she failed spectacularly. First, she spoke of a past where she tried to lead a group of people, and apparently failed to such a degree that she doesn't wish to lead anymore. As she hinted at this, she also related pretty well with the Ultimate Imposter, implying she knows what it's like to wear a face that isn't her own, and also knows their true identity, or lack thereof. Most striking, however, is that she also confessed to Hiyoko that she was a participant in a killing game in the past. If this detail is false, it seems like an extremely odd thing to say about yourself, especially when the group hadn't learned of our killing game by this point. But if it's true, those implications are even worse. This connects to a theory that I've been working on, but I'll get to that later. Furthermore, during the first three "chapters," she expresses a strong desire to keep the group together, but losing Mikan seemed to break her mask, and now she's a sad, cynical woman who's willing to sacrifice the others to survive. If that doesn't sound like a human reaction, I don't know what is, and I'm the secondary resident psychologist. And her interactions with Mikan, while short... they seemed real to me. Alter Ego can do a lot, and even seems to experience a range of emotions. But love and loss? No, I don't think so, not completely..."

My pause was just long enough for Byakuya to get in, "That theory you mentioned... What is it?"

"That's what I'm trying to find evidence for now..." I said, pointing to my notes. "I think... Alice really did participate in a killing game, but the exact nature of it... I don't know."

"Toshihide's notes..." Kyoko muttered. "You think...?"

"I can't prove anything yet. I just need more time." I looked them each in the eye. "Just give me that much, alright?"

Makoto thought for a moment before saying, "I hate to bring it up, but we're not sure how much time we really have. The rest of the Future Foundation is breathing down our necks."

"They won't be here for another little while." I said. "Trust me, Alice might have blindsided me, but I've seen this scenario before. We'll make it to the end of the game."

"And if your presence here somehow changed that?" Byakuya asked.

"It _won't._ Trust me." I was pleading, but I managed to put enough of a "Drop it!" in my tone that no one responded.

"So, how are things going on your end?" Makoto asked his sister. "Are the evacuations going smoothly?"

Komaru nodded. "We must've gotten at least half of the survivors out of the city by now! I mean, assuming they're spread out evenly... I'm sort of behind on math. Also, I guess we could've been passing over some hideouts or something, so..."

"Well, that statement quickly became a downer." I muttered.

She perked up at the sound of my voice. "Oh, I almost forgot! Al, you're not gonna believe this, but guess what we found out the other day?"

If I'm not gonna believe the answer, how could I possibly guess it? "Uh... that unicorns are the national animal of Scotland?" No one laughed, rather, they gave me weird looks. I tell ya, I get no respect.

"Um... no. We found out that the Warriors of Hope are still alive." She said happily.

I tilted my head, and my mouth hung agape. "...A few questions. Firstly: How? Second: Not that I'm a fan of children dying, but why is this a positive thing?"

"Well, first... I actually don't know. They didn't really explain it." She admitted. "But just a few days ago, we ran into them. Some Monokuma Kids were ganging up on them, but we helped them out. And the best part is, they're trying to help! They want to stop Monaca just as much as we do, and they've been helping with evacuations! Well, trying to, anyway. It's kinda hard, since the adults want to kill them, too. But they've been calling us and giving us information. At first, we weren't really sure if we could trust them, but nothing bad's happened yet. I think they're really trying to make up for what they did."

"Holy shit..." I could hardly believe it. I knew Monaca had probably survived, given her last known status, but I never thought the others would be. Not only that, but they're helping? That's... That's exactly what I've asked for from every bad guy I've challenged. Atonement. Sure, I didn't expect the kids to forgive adults, especially considering their pasts, and I knew they were probably planning to continue their plan for a children's paradise or whatever. But the fact that they were going for a non-violent solution was... "That's... That's incredible. Man, it looks like you guys really don't need any help, huh? You've got an army of ten now."

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that." Hina said. "They are just kids, after all."

"During the apocalypse, age doesn't really matter as much as usefulness. They _are _Ultimates in their own right, remember?"

"So, is there anything else we should know?" Kyoko asked. "Should I arrange to have some supplies delivered? Anything like that?"

"I think we're doing pretty good." Komaru said. "We still have leftovers from the stuff these guys came in with, and there are still some places we can scavenge from if we have to."

"We could always use more medical supplies." Hina added. "But other than that, I think we're good."

"In that case, I guess we don't have much else to talk about." Makoto said, with a hint of reluctance. "Should we end the call here?"

Hina nodded. "I guess so. Same time next week?"

"It's a plan."

"Stay alive, girls." I said. "We'll get you outta there before you know it."

They nodded, and Komaru added, "Bye, Makoto."

He smiled. "Seeya, Komaru."

With that, the screen cut to black.

I wheeled around in my chair to face the others. I could easily tell that the atmosphere in the room was much lighter than when we began. It made sense. We had everyone from class 78 on this island, except Hina, so getting to connect with her was like a weight off our backs. Her telling us that everything was going smoothly was even better. Makoto hid it well, but I could tell he was almost giddy to know both Hina and his sister were alright.

Hell, I myself could barely hold back a light laugh. After opening up to Chihiro earlier, and getting to see Hina and Komaru again, I was in a much better mood than I've been throughout the last... month-and-a-half, I think. Seems the power of friendship isn't just a silly trope.

"You guys go on ahead." I finally said, gesturing to my notes. "I'll need some alone time for a bit."

"Up here?" Kyoko asked.

"It's as good a spot as any. Chair. Desk. Everything I need for serious studying."

I bid them warm goodbyes as they left to handle their own separate investigations. Whatever those entailed. Hm, maybe I should've asked for help after all.

Reading through Toshihide's notes wasn't as simply as one would think. I couldn't just skim the text until I found what I needed, due to the aforementioned code the notes were written in. I didn't know if it was intentional or if he was just that eccentric. And no, it wasn't a simple cipher. He literally just replaces important words with Google Translate-filtered garbage. It took me an hour of reading gibberish before I realized the phrase "meters per second" was being replaced by "1000/s." So, for example, instead of saying "12 meters per second," the files would say "12 1000/s." And yes, all equations were written out completely. Toshi apparently had no use for shorthand symbols.

After I realized this, I've been trying to figure it all out, writing down a legend as I went along. Sometimes, I'd have to go back and correct something. I have to say, if it really was intentional, then Toshi may have actually created the most frustrating code in the world for his research. I can just imagine him laughing if it were ever stolen, muttering to himself, "Go ahead. If you want it, earn it." And knowing him, especially with his photographic memory, he probably never wrote down a key. He probably kept it all in his head.

You know, it was almost funny. Maybe my talks with Chihiro and Hina and Komaru were making me greedy, but I found myself missing the scientist. Not dearly, of course, I could deal with never seeing his face again. But I had to admit, the idea of getting to sit down and talk with him was appealing. What would he say? What would we talk about? Would we be civil? Or would we be at each other's throats? Would he wish to speak with me after all this time?

While I definitely didn't remember as much as Chiaki, or even as much as my classmates, _some _memories of my time at Hope's Peak were resurfacing. And, surprise surprise, Toshihide was a common figure in all of the memories. I remember hating his guts for taking me from my home. I remember clinging to him as my only rock stable rock in the crazy world of Ultimates. He tried to guide me, tried to make a lesson out of every mistake I made.

And in the end, his future self betrayed us both.

Could I honestly claim they were the same person? I like to think the Toshihide from my time in the killing game wasn't all bad. He had a nobler side. He could've easily killed me without me or my friends' permission. But he didn't. Sure, he wasn't a friend, but maybe he wasn't an enemy, either. I mean, would I be able to hold on to my sanity if I was in his situation? Forced to witness a killing game on repeat, 11,037 times, with no physical body and no one to talk to?

11,037 killing games... About a week after the Future Foundation rescued me and my friends, I found a calculator and did the math. I still remember the result I got. The killing game lasted over three weeks, but let's low-ball it and say 21 days. 21 x 11,037 was 231,777 days. Divide that by 365 days per year, and Toshihide must've spent more than 635 years altogether trapped in that time loop. No one could leave that situation with their mind intact.

Was a similar situation the reason Alice had such an unstable mind? At this point, anything was possible.

Without even glancing up from my notes, I called out, "I know you're there, and I know you're watching me. You wanna save me the trouble and just show yourself?" When my response was silence, I sighed through my nose. "Of course not."

It didn't matter. I had a list of allies I could count on. I didn't need my enemies to help me thwart themselves. They would meet a downfall of their own design in time...

* * *

The next morning, everyone gathered in Grape Tower at 7:00 a.m., as Monokuma instructed. None of them really wanted to get up so early, especially when it was hard to keep their energy, but they couldn't exactly disobey Monokuma, either.

Most of the students grumbled and muttered their complaints. Even Byakuya couldn't stop himself from sighing under his breath, "Tired..." This ended up breaking the dam.

"Shut up." Maki said simply.

His eyes widened. "That was... a rather harsh response, for a single word."

"Doesn't matter. You've got calories to burn. You're the last person here who's allowed to complain. If this motive goes on long enough for bodies to start dropping, the first one to bite it's going to be Nagito, or Hiyoko, or me."

"Wow, you have enough concern for me to put my name first? I'm honoured." Nagito muttered, though the way he kept shooting her side-glances made it hard to tell if he meant it.

Byakuya eyed Maki up and down. "I do have to say, you have been losing weight at an alarming rate since we've been locked in here..."

It was true. Along with her skin becoming more pale, and her eyes more bloodshot, Maki had been thinning out. Her once curvy figure was now thinner than Chiaki or Sonia. She shrugged. "I've got an extremely fast metabolism."

"...Really."

"Yeah. Really. Dude, you watched me eat a burger and fries. With my figure, I can only get away with that kind of eating because of my metabolism. I was always pretty pleased with it, meant I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain an ounce. Now, though, it seems to be working against me. How the tables turn." Her casual demeanour did nothing to ease the other students. They all just eyed her as if her mood could shift at any moment.

Nekomaru was the next to speak. "In any case, I think Maki raises a good point. Complaining won't get us anywhere. We're all in the same boat, so we should be encouraging one another, not dragging each other down!"

"Easy for you to say, you don't get hungry." Hiyoko shot. She was trying to hide it, but she had her hands wrapped around her stomach.

"I'm in a similar situation... I left my charger inside my cottage..." He explained.

"Man, you guys are already starting to brag about how unhealthy you are..." Monokuma laughed, appearing in the centre of the room.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here...!" Fuyuhiko snapped.

"N-Now that we have all gathered here so early in the morning, what do you intend to make us do this time?" Sonia asked.

"I just want everyone to be healthy again." He explained.

"...Healthy?" Hajime repeated.

"You're losing your drive because you're burning rubber down the Unhealthy Highway, right? I'm offering this service so that you can all feel healthy again! Sooooo... From this day forward, I'd like you to make Monokuma Tai Chi part of your daily routine every morning!"

"...M-Monokuma Tai Chi?"

"All right, start the music!"

What proceeded was about a half-hour of precise and near-constant muscle movement that the students were clearly too tired for. Nekomaru was the only one able to keep up with Monokuma, on account of their robotic bodies. Whenever a student fell too far behind, Monokuma would snap, forcing them to pick up their slack. By the end, everyone was sweaty, sore, and even more hungry.

"Phew, we sure worked up a good sweat!" Monokuma said. "Staying healthy is definitely super important!"

"Oh fuck off..." Fuyuhiko growled. "We did a bunch of pointless exercise thanks to you, and now we're hungrier than ever...!"

"Can't... breathe..." Byakuya muttered from where he lay collapsed on the ground.

"The road to good health is not an easy one! It might be painful, but we'll do this again tomorrow! Unless something big happens, I won't allow any tardies or absences. Make sure you remember that!" With that, he disappeared.

"Y-You intend... to keep making us do this...!?" Sonia called out to the spot he was standing.

"Th-This is fucking bullshit...!" Maki snapped. "H-How much longer is he going to play with us like this...!?"

"Didn't he say... until the killing starts?" Nagito recalled.

"It seems the plausibility of those words is finally starting to affect us..." Gundham said. "If this persists any longer, it wouldn't surprise me if something really did happen..."

"God dammit..." Maki muttered. "I'm not dying here...! No matter what I have to do, I refuse to die here!"

"Wh-What are you saying!?" Hajime gasped. "Calm down!"

"Or what? You'll tie me up like Nagito? Let me slowly wither away, unable to do anything about it? Is that what you want to happen to you, too? It's like Nekomaru said, we're all in the same boat here, and it's a sinking ship! Are you just telling us to give up and die!?"

Hajime was quiet for a moment, but when he spoke, he spoke with conviction. "...I'd rather... have that happen to us... than have our friends kill each other..."

This surprised the other students. "...Huh? Do you mean that you'd rather die?" Nagito asked.

When Maki recovered from her shock, her anger redoubled. "Y-You... You're fucking crazy! All of you are crazy! But not me! If you really want to stay here and rot, you'll have to kill me first!"

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" Chiaki snapped. "Making a scene is just going to make us hungrier. So... let's just calm down for now."

"You're right... even if you guys fight, our situation isn't going to change." Nagito agreed.

"Wait to die from impending starvation..." Gundham muttered. "Or wait for someone to kill someone else before that happens... At any rate, it's a rather difficult situation."

"Which is the true hope...? I'll just follow what everyone else decides... If you're going to choose, you should hurry. The longer we keep waiting, the closer we get to death!"

Nagito's words were ultimately the end of the conversation. No one had the energy to spare talking with each other, let alone argue. The group scattered, with everyone going their separate ways.

While it was unlikely anyone was astute enough to notice, Maki was not seen by anyone for the rest of the morning.

* * *

**I think we're getting a pretty good image of what Al's theory is. What are the details, how will he prove it, and is it actually true? And, more importantly, is it the big twist in Maki's backstory I've been holding on to? Well, no to that last one, but it's a nice guess.**

**Maki's not getting along with her classmates. That makes me sad. *grabs popcorn* But not really. Still, she seems to really like pushing the idea that she's willing to take desperate measures. Will she actually do anything, or will another blackened beat her to the punch?**

**...Could you imagine if I actually had my super-mysterious OC be the killer in the fourth case? That'd be hilarious. Am I foreshadowing or just joking around? Only time will tell.**

**In the next chapter, we'll continue to starve, and maybe get the next case underway. Maybe.**


End file.
